


You've Earned Every Scar

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2018-07-14 12:37:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 33,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7171493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aaron decides to call the number Dave gave him when he feels the need for companionship for the evening. But what will he do when that companion turns out to be someone he least expected? Can he save her from herself?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It had been unusual how both his and Dave's relationships had dissolved at the same time. While he and Beth had parted quietly, agreeing that while they were compatible as friends, they did not make good lovers, the same could not be said of Dave and Erin. She had found a pair of panties that were not hers in his pocket and had confronted him, loudly, in the bullpen. For once, Aaron found himself completely on her side, even when she had slugged his friend on his nose, causing blood to pour out.

Dave had wanted to press charges, but had been faced with the wrath of a very angry Penelope Garcia, who threatened to send his credit back to the Stone Age should he hurt Erin further. And that had left them at a tense ceasefire for the last two months. Aaron had used that time to watch his friend and his boss, and while Dave had seemed to be unfazed by it all, Erin was withering away. If he had to guess, she'd lost twenty pounds and her clothes hung loosely off her frame. And that seriously concerned him.

"Hey, Hotch, what has you mooning about today?" He looked up at Garcia's smiling face and shrugged. "Un uh, spill."

He sighed, threading his fingers together. "I'm concerned about Strauss. I don't think she's handling the breakup as well as Dave."

"Okay, you are totally thinking like a man, here, Hotch. He cheated on her, when she was at one of the most vulnerable points in her life. And he expected a simple 'I'm sorry' to cover everything. Would you be all right in her shoes?"

He shook his head slowly. "No, I suppose not. Thanks for checking up on me."

"No problem, Boss Man. Have a good weekend!" He nodded as she left the room and reclined back in his chair. Sighing, he pulled out the card that Dave had given to him, when he'd admitted that he still had urges that his hand couldn't take care of.

Dialing the number, he heard a soft voice say: "This is Special Friends Networking Service, how may I serve your needs this evening?"

"I would like an older blonde to talk to, if one is available." He marveled at the easy way those words tumbled from his lips, despite what it was he asked for.

"Certainly, Sir. We have two such ladies available this evening to converse with you. Would you prefer to make an appointment with Melusine or Cassandra?"

"Melusine," he responded quickly, intrigued by the name.

"All right, her services are two thousand for the evening, payable in cash. Talk isn't cheap, you know. Will that be a problem?"

"No, that will not." He had not expected the price to be quite so steep, but then, he should have expected that, given Dave's taste for all things fine. "Where will we be meeting?"

"At the Omni Shoreham Hotel. Do you know where that is?"

"On Calvert Street, right?"

"Yes, Sir. Are there any other questions that I can answer for you this evening?"

"Not that I can think of."

"Well then, Melusine will be waiting for you anytime in the next forty-five minutes in room 1957. Have a pleasant time conversing with her, Sir."

He took a deep breath and nodded. "Thank you, I hope to." He disconnected the call and slumped in his chair. What had he just done? Ordered very expensive sex from a woman who made it sound like such a banality. And Dave had done this numerous times before. That thought should have calmed him, and yet it didn't, it just set his heart beating a little faster in his chest. Picking up his phone once more, he called Jessica and let her know that he wouldn't be home that evening, citing a backlog of paperwork.

With that taken care of, he stood and packed up his briefcase before going out to his car. Before heading to the hotel, he stopped by an ATM and withdrew the necessary funds for his evening of pleasure. The drive to the hotel seemed to take forever and he was never more glad to hand over his keys to the valet, getting a ticket for the morning. Straightening his jacket, he squared his shoulders and entered the building, feeling like a nervous high schooler.

The elevator bank was deserted and he walked over to it at a brisk pace, hoping to give off the aura that he did not want to be bothered. Pressing the up button, he waited for the elevator car to come and took deep, calming breaths, trying to will his heart to beat normally. Finally, one appeared and he stepped inside, pressing the nineteen on the panel of numbers. The ride up was smooth and he didn't really have all that much time to think about what was about to happen in the next few minutes.

The doors opened and he looked at the plaque to tell him which direction to go. Turning to the left, he headed for room 1957. The walk down the hall seemed to take forever, and he felt his steps slowing down the closer he got to the room. Finally, he was in front of the fateful door and he raised his hand to knock. "Melusine?" he called out, hearing movement in the room.

The door opened and he didn't see the woman at first. Stepping into the room, the door was closed and it was only then that he heard the low gasp. Spinning on his heel, he took his first good look at the woman called Melusine. "Hello, Aaron."

"Erin…" He felt the blood drain from his face as he looked at his boss. She was dressed in a gossamer thin peignoir and he could see that she had rouged her nipples. His eyes roamed lower and through the fabric, he saw evidence of bruising on her torso. "Oh, Erin."

"It could be worse, they could have touched my face. That would be hard to explain at work." She looked down at the floor, biting her lip in an attempt not to cry.

"Come here." She looked up at him, terror shining in her eyes.

"You aren't going to hurt me, too? That's what gets most of these men off, biting and scratching, and hitting, and smacking, and I'm so tired of it all."

His heart broke in that moment and he opened his arms to her. The first broken sob tore from her mouth as she stepped into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding on to him tightly. Slowly, he stroked her hair, letting her cry as he led her over to the bed. They sat heavily and she curled up into him, her cries never lessening. Without thinking, he bent his head and kissed the top of hers, wanting to comfort her in some small way. "Shh, Erin, you're safe now. I won't let them hurt you any longer."

"But I can't give this up, Aaron. It's worse than alcohol. I have an addictive personality, and this is more addictive to me than the booze ever was. Help me?"

"All you ever had to do was ask." He kicked off his shoes and then pulled her on top of him as he stretched out on the bed. She snuggled into him, kissing his cheek lightly.

"Aaron, do you still want to do what you came here to do?"

He thought for a good long moment. It would be so easy to tell her yes, to ravish her in this bedroom, but that would demean her, and in doing so would cause her to lose respect for him. And he couldn't do that to her. "No. I just want to hold you. That's what I really miss in my life, someone to hold." She breathed a sigh of utter relief and relaxed into him, nuzzling her nose against his chest.

"Thank you, Aaron." She yawned and tipped her head up to kiss his cheek once more. "Though I don't think I would have minded sex with you. You have kind eyes." Her breathing evened out shortly after she had said that and she was asleep in moments. His sleep was a little longer in coming.


	2. Chapter 2

In the morning, he woke up to her kissing him. Smiling, he gently pushed her away so that he could look in her face. "Good morning, Erin."

"Good morning." She looked soft and open, so different from her work persona and she smiled at him as she reached up to cup his face. Leaning in, she kissed him once again and he struggled not to respond, even though every fiber in his body told him to press forward, accept the opening she provided.

"Oh, Erin, I can't do this to you. You deserve better."

"So gallant." She laid her head back down on his chest. "Where do we go from here?"

"Breakfast and then you're coming home with me."

He felt her stiffen slightly. "I can't go home with you. Jack's there, and you shouldn't let him get to know me, not like this. I would only be a blemish on his life."

She started to cry once more, and he drew her close to him, rubbing her back. "Hush, Erin, you are not a blemish. It just seems that you've fallen into something that you can't control. Do you trust me?"

"Yes. If I didn't, I wouldn't still be here." She buried her face in his neck, her shoulders shuddering. "But why do you ask?"

"Because I meant what I said. I want to help you out, and to do so, you're going to have to trust me. And give up a lot of your personal autonomy." Her cries lessened and she pulled back to look at him. "You are coming home with me. You are going to stay there. And I promise to take care of you until this fire is out of your blood. I have a serviceable sofa bed that I can sleep on for the time being. And in this case, just like when we took you to rehab, I cannot allow you to say no."

She looked away from him, a bright blush on her face. "What are you going to tell Jack?"

"That your house is undergoing renovations, and until all the repairs are completed, you're staying with us. That's close enough to the truth, seeing as how it's your heart's house that is undergoing those renovations." He smiled gently at her and held her gaze until she nodded twice. "All right, our first order of business is getting you some clothes for your time with us."

Their stomachs growled in tandem and she rubbed hers absently. "Or we could stop for breakfast first?"

He nodded and they got up. Aaron watched her slip the peignoir to the ground, seemingly at ease with her nudity. He couldn't help but look at her, becoming aroused by how sensually she moved, how lithe she looked. She dressed quickly and then came up to his side, grasping his hand tightly. "All set, then?"

"Uh huh. The service pays for the room, so all we need to do is leave the key in the room."

"And will you owe them anything for tonight?"

She nodded. "A thousand dollars," she replied softly, curving her body against his. "That was always the arrangement, they got half of my earnings. I was never in it for the money."

He slipped his arm around her waist so that he could hold her tightly, rubbing his thumb up and down along her ribs. "I wish I could say I understand, Erin, but I'm sure that I will in time." She nodded against his side and he breathed deeply, trying to calm himself. As they exited the building, she pulled a ticket stub from her purse and handed it to the valet. He followed suit with the other young man standing there and they waited for their cars.

"I'll meet you at Highlands Café?"

"Sounds good, Erin." Their cars came and he surprised himself by kissing her. She melted into the touch and they both drew in a quick breath when he released her. Without saying another word, they got in their vehicles and drove off. Aaron lost her in the Saturday morning traffic and he drove to the restaurant.

Stepping inside, he saw that Erin had claimed a booth for them and he slid in on the opposite side. "Did you get us coffee?"

"Yes. I didn't know what sounded good to you, so I told the waitress that we'd order when you got here." He nodded and looked over the menu and settled on the garden vegetable omelette. Looking up, he saw that she was smiling gently at him, her head resting on her hand.

"I take it you know what you want?"

She nodded. "I'm decisive in some areas in my life." He nodded and the waitress returned with two mugs of coffee and a carafe. "We're ready to order now, too, if you don't mind."

"Yes, ma'am. What can I get for you?"

"I'd like the eggs and bacon breakfast, please, with the eggs prepared over medium. But instead of hash browns, I'd like wheat toast, lightly toasted."

Aaron smiled at the specifications she gave and then ordered his omelette. After she'd left, he reached across the table for Erin's hand, and she hesitantly clasped it. "Everything is going to be all right, I promise."

"And I can count on your promises. You've always kept your promises." He nodded and she looked away from him, still holding onto his hand as she took a sip of coffee. "I suppose I should have done something like get a tattoo or a discreet piercing. I've always been a bit of a fool, though."

He sighed, not knowing how to respond to her statement. She squeezed his hand and he looked at her. "You're lovely," he blurted out and she giggled in surprise.

"I'm sorry?"

"You are. I just thought you should know." Her blush was very becoming and he let go of her hand to reach up and stroke her cheek. It was a totally romantic gesture and she recognized it as such, pulling away slightly.

Their food came and he tucked in, finding himself starving. She ate with the same vigor and once they were finished, he pulled out his wallet, paying and leaving a generous tip. "Are we going to leave so soon?"

Erin's voice was suddenly nervous and he looked at her, seeing how large her eyes were. Nodding, he held out his hand. She took hold of it once more and let him help her to her feet. They walked outside together and she drew in a deep breath. "You love the sun, don't you?"

"Uh huh, there's just something about the way it soaks into me, it fills me with such peace and warmth. I can't be out in it for too long, though. With my fair skin, I burn more than tan." She snuggled into his side as they walked over to where the cars were parked. "Aaron?" she asked as she turned to face him, leaning against her car.

"Yes?"

She shrugged, looking away from him. "Would you have gone through with things, if I wasn't me last night?"

"I don't know. Dave was the one who recommended I use the service. I was feeling a little apprehensive when I knocked on the door. If anything, I think I would have just talked for a few hours. Dave might be comfortable with anonymous sex, but…"

"You have honor." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Follow me home, okay?"

"Okay." As he watched, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and then slipped behind the wheel, turning her car on. He took the hint and got into his own car, following Erin out of the parking lot. They drove through a nice suburb and she pulled into the driveway of a two story Dutch Colonial home. This was her home, and he felt a thrill of excitement at seeing it, being welcomed inside.


	3. Chapter 3

Aaron stayed in the car until she beckoned to him from the front door. Giving her a small smile, he got up and ambled up to the stoop. "So, this is your home. It's larger than I expected."

"Yes, well, I got it in the divorce, and I was expecting…Anyway, come on in." He did as told and she shut the door behind him, locking it. "Follow me upstairs." Erin reached for his hand and he clasped hers tightly. She led him up the staircase and into a spacious master bedroom. "You're the only man who's seen this room besides my husband. We never came here for our assignations."

"Never?"

"No. We wanted to keep our lives separate, to have some space while we worked out where the relationship was going." She went over to her closet and pulled out two large suitcases. "I guess I was so blinded by being cared for once more, that I let it get in the way of my good judgment."

"He was the one who made the decision to cheat on you, Erin. He is the one who hurt you."

"And I'm the one that chose to engage in risky sex. Any one of them could have killed me, Aaron, and no one would have been the wiser." He could tell she had started crying again, and he went to her side. "Aaron, you don't have to comfort me every time I start to cry. Your shirt would be permanently damp." She reached out for his hand, squeezing it tightly before letting go and returning to her closet.

"Would you like some help packing?"

"That would be really nice, thank you." She began to pull out clothes, handing them to him. "Will you finish the closet while I work on…other things?"

He nodded and began to fold up the clothes as she went over to the armoire and began to pull out silky undergarments and nightclothes, putting them in the other suitcase. She was much more efficient with her task and she moved on to putting shoes and her jewelry box in the suitcase as well. "Is there anything in particular that you want?"

"I have some more casual clothing in the armoire. Pick out some things that you think would be good lounge wear while I go and pack up my toiletries?"

He nodded and watched her disappear behind the other door in the room. Going over to the armoire, he saw pictures on the inside door, pictures of her and her children, smiling and laughing. He smiled and then began to pull out some knit shirts and a few pairs of jeans. By the time he had gotten everything folded and put away, she had rejoined him and was placing a small makeup case in the larger suitcase.

"Are you ready to head out, Erin?" he asked as he zipped up the suitcases.

"Okay." She picked up her suitcase and met him on his side of the bed. "Let's go, before I lose my nerve." Pushing past him, she stepped out into the hall and began to clatter down the stairs. He followed after her, pressing the trunk button on his car remote. Erin paused and looked back at him before placing her suitcase in his trunk.

"This time, you get to follow me home." She nodded and took a step back from him. Aaron reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "One moment." She looked up at him and he once more had to hold himself in check, to not kiss her senseless. "This is going to work out, I promise you."

"I know." She leaned up and kissed his cheek softly. Turning, she got in her car and waited for him to back out of the drive. Aaron made certain to drive slowly enough so that she could keep up.

When he got to his apartment building, he could see that Jessica was there, waiting for him. He parked next to her car and Erin parked next to him. She climbed out of her car and waited for him by the trunk. He popped it and grabbed out both bags before she could protest. "Jessica's here, which means Jack is as well. Do you remember our cover story?"

"My house is undergoing renovations, and you didn't want me to pay for a hotel for so long. You are doing me a very kind favor." He nodded and held out his elbow, hoping she would take the hint. She did, threading her arm through his, and they walked up to the door together. Getting onto the elevator, they rode in silence, though he noticed that Erin stood close to him, never letting go of his arm.

The doors opened on his floor and he stepped out, Erin close on his heels. Before he had even managed to set one of the suitcases down to knock or get his keys out, Erin was softly rapping on the door. As they waited, she smoothed her clothes, touched her hair, and then swiped at her cheeks. "You look fine, Erin."

"Thank you," she murmured as they heard noise approaching them.

"Daddy!" Jack shrieked, wrenching open the door and launching himself into his arms.

"Hey, buddy. Have you been good for Aunt Jessica?"

"Uh huh. Why are you carrying suitcases?"

He looked at Erin and saw she was smiling gently. "We're going to have a visitor for a few months, Jackers. But let's get inside now, okay?" His son nodded and tugged on his arm. Erin followed them inside, closing the door behind her.

"Hey, Aaron. Who's your friend?"

Jessica was looking at them quizzically, carefully pulling Jack to her side. "This is Erin Strauss, she's going to be staying with us for a while, until the renovations on her home are completed. She was going to go stay at a hotel until I convinced her otherwise."

"Yes, Aaron is being the white knight, riding to my rescue." Erin held out her hand to Jessica. "You're Jessica, right?" His sister-in-law nodded and limply shook her hand, smiling faintly.

"I am, yes." She drew her hand back rather quickly and he watched the hurt look that passed over Erin's face that she quickly masked. "Um, I started lunch for us, but, I guess I'm just going to head out now. It's baked macaroni and cheese, and it should have about another hour to go. I'll be here Monday?"

"We'll see you then, Jess. Thanks again." She nodded and picked up her purse before practically fleeing the apartment. "So, do you want to take your bags to my room or get the tour first?"

"We could go for the tour on the way to put the bags away, Aaron." She smiled up at him, but he could see that her eyes were sad, as if she knew that Jessica had just sized her up and found her lacking. Nodding, he once more held out his arm, and she once more threaded hers through it, holding on tightly this time. Jack bounced along ahead of them, showing Erin his room and the bathroom.

"And this is Daddy's room. Are you going to be the new Beth?"

Erin took a seat on the bed, and his son crawled up next to her, plastering himself to her side. "No, honey, I don't think I'm going to be the new Beth. I'm just me, plain old Erin. Is that going to be okay?"

Jack nodded solemnly. "Are you going to be sleeping with Daddy while you're here?"

"Again, no. He's offered to take the couch while my house gets fixed." His son grinned up at her before hugging her tightly.

"I'm going to go read in my room. I hope you like it here, Erin."

"I hope so, too, Jack."


	4. Chapter 4

Once Jack had left the room, Erin sighed and curled up on the bed, turning away from him. "Is everything all right, Erin?"

"I'll be fine," she whispered and he moved over to the bed, sitting down next to her. She scooted away from him and he used the opening to stretch out along her body, pulling her close to his body. She stiffened in his arms, and he rubbed his hand up and down her arm, trying to get her to relax. "I'm serious, Aaron. I'll be fine."

He nodded against her shoulder, holding her all the more tightly. Finally, she relaxed in his arms and then turned to face him. There were tears pooling in her eyes and he reached up to run a thumb under her eyes. "What is it?"

"She knows. Do I give off that aura? Does something about me scream whore to the world now?"

He flinched at her use of the harsh word and she puckered her lips to keep from sobbing. "You just made some misguided choices, Erin…"

"Oh, Hotch, let's call a spade a spade. I fucked other men for money because I did not have enough self-esteem to take a break up with my boyfriend well. I am a whore, pure and simple." She let out a mirthless laugh and he shook his head.

"Nothing is ever so simple as that." Leaning in, he kissed her gently, loving the feel of her arm wrapping around his waist as the kiss lingered on.

"I'm not going to be the new Beth, Aaron," she said lowly when they broke the kiss.

"I don't want you to be. I want you to be Erin, I want you to be you." She finally broke eye contact with him as she sat up, wrapping her arms around her knees. "I'm going to go check on lunch. Why don't you put some of your things away? Just push my clothes to one side in the closet and make yourself at home."

She nodded absently and he made his way to the door. "Aaron?" He turned to look at her. "Thank you for trying to make me feel better. It really does mean a lot." He gave a sharp nod before leaving and he closed the door behind him.

He went into the kitchen and peeked in the oven. The dish smelled delicious and he closed the oven, letting the dish cook on. Sighing, he stepped into the living room and plopped down on the sofa, pulling out his phone. There were a number of missed calls and he quickly scrolled through his texts before calling Penelope back.

"Hey, Boss Man, what are you doing calling so early on a Saturday morning?"

"Well, for one thing, it is now afternoon. And another, you called me first. What's up?"

"Not much, I was just wondering if you'd had a chance to talk to Strauss. I want to reach out to her, but I don't know how, really. She seems really private, and I don't want to offend her. But this whole thing with Rossi is bothering me so much. I really liked him, and then he does something like this. I don't know why it bothers me, it shouldn't, since Strauss has only recently become nicer, but it does."

"Garcia, can I get a word in?" he interrupted, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Just, be a listening ear for her, if she ever needs to talk. And I do mean listen."

"I kinda resent that you doubt I can listen, Hotch. You do know about my group."

"I know, it's just that it can be different when it is your boss that you're trying to be a rock for. And I think she is going to need a friend in her life shortly."

"Have you been profiling her?"

"Maybe. I will tell you this, neither of us are ones to go spilling our darkest secrets to anyone. We keep things close to the vest, and ruminate over our faults and hurts."

"All right, I'll keep that in mind. See you on Monday!" She was gone before he could say goodbye, and a soft cough had him looking up at Erin.

"So, we're ruminators?"

"Uh huh." He gestured to the open spot on the sofa and she sat down, curling a leg up underneath herself. "Think about it, if I hadn't come upon you last night, you would never have told any of us this struggle you're going through. And that would be truly tragic."

She nodded and then leaned against him. "I made sure that they all wore protection." He brought his arm to rest around her shoulders, curling her closer to him. "I didn't want to catch anything. It was so awful, even when I enjoyed it." He could hear the exact moment her throat clogged with unshed tears and he rubbed his hand along her arm.

"Do you really want to talk to me about this?" She nodded. "Would you mind waiting until tonight, after Jack has gone to sleep? I'm not ashamed of you, but there are some things that I want him to wait to learn."

"I understand, Aaron. Like I told you, I'm a blemish."

"No, you are not, Erin." He turned his head and pressed his lips against her head.

"Are you always so touchy-feely?" she asked, snuggling into him.

"No. Or, at least, with Beth, I wasn't. You and Haley, though, you stir up this need in me to protect you and hold on to you. That if I were to let you go, you'd disappear into thin air and I'd never find you again." She turned slightly and spread her hand out over his chest.

"You won't let me go?"  
"Not if you don't want me to, Erin. Part of this is going to be showing you that there are people in your life who won't walk out on you when things get rough. That there are going to be people who will hold on tight while you cry."

"And I suppose Ms. Garcia will also be someone who will hold on to me?"

"Probably not right away. She'll be walking on eggshells around you, not really sure of where she stands with you. But she does want to be there for you, if you'll let her."

Erin nodded a little and took a deep breath. "I wonder what these cravings will be like. Alcohol was bad enough, but this, this is going to be worse. I can just feel it in my bones." He nodded as he continued to rub her arm. "Would you mind if I got out my iPad and read for a while? I need to get some balance back."

"Of course, whatever you need." She smiled and went over to the small duffle bag she'd carried from the hotel room. Opening it, she pulled out the device and came back to him. Instead of curling up next to him, she sat on the opposite corner, pulling down a blanket to cover her legs, even though it was late August and more than ninety degrees outside.

When he was sure that she was comfortable, Aaron got up and went into the kitchen, pouring her a glass of water before checking on the casserole once more. Taking a look at the clock, he saw that there was about thirty minutes left.

He heard a creak on the floor and turned around to see Jack sneak into the living room, a book in his hands. Smiling, he picked up the glass and rejoined Erin and his son, eager to spend a lazy Saturday with the two.


	5. Chapter 5

"Could we go to the park, Daddy? I want to play soccer today," Jack asked as they cleaned up after lunch.

He looked over at Erin, who was watching them warily. Slowly, he nodded and she relaxed a little, setting the dishtowel down on the counter. "That sounds like a good use of a Saturday afternoon. I have to get changed, though, and so does Erin."

"Okay!" He ran into the living room and turned the television on. Erin cocked her head, staring at him.

"What?"

"Are you certain this is a good idea? Taking me out in public with your son, that implies something to a lot of people, something I am certain you do not want with me."

He hated the bitter tone in her voice and exhaled roughly. "You are my responsibility now, Erin. I don't care if we look like we're a married couple; I care about getting you whole once more."

She flinched and looked away from him, biting her lip. When she looked back up into his eyes, her mask was firmly in place. "What should I wear this afternoon?"

"Jeans and a shirt. Something you can get dirty in. I'll probably have you be the goalie, so Jack can practice his scoring skills." She nodded and stood, going over to his bedroom door. "Would you mind if I joined you? It would be faster."

She shrugged, and he took it for a yes, quickly joining her. Closing the door behind him, he watched her pull out a purple polo shirt and jeans. Without preamble, she began to strip, and Aaron found himself watching her. She was lovely. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out a thin t-shirt and light sweater, quickly changing. Still, his eye was drawn back to her, slightly disappointed when she tucked the polo shirt into her pants. "Are you ready to go, Aaron?"

He couldn't get used to how submissive her voice was, as if she had ceded all control in her life over to him. "I am. Are you?" She nodded and walked over to the door, opening it for them. "Have you played soccer before?"

"No, my son was a baseball player, and my girls were into dressage. It cannot be that hard to pick up, though. It just looks like a bunch of kicking from when I've caught it on television."

He laughed a little as he let his arm come to rest around her waist. Instantly, he noticed how she stiffened and he tried not to think about how she must have been mistreated to react so. He was a profiler, after all, he knew the reasons behind certain behaviors. "It's a little more complicated than that, Erin."

"I see." She finally relaxed against him and he tightened his arm around her. "Is there anything you'd like for supper? I can start making it when we get back."

"Whatever you want to make for us will be fine." She nodded and he turned his head to kiss the side of her head. Once more, she tensed up before relaxing, as if her ability to trust him was growing by the moment. "Jack! Are you ready to go?"

His son came running out of his room and threw his arms around Aaron. "I've been ready for ages, Daddy." He latched on to his other hand and they went outside, walking quickly to the park. The lawn was free of people, which surprised Aaron, since it was a Saturday afternoon.

"All right, Erin, you stand over by that tree and try to block the ball whenever Jack kicks it towards you, okay?" She nodded and went over, a small smile on her face. Jack began to kick the soccer ball, and he laughed as Erin missed it the first time.

She ran for the ball, and Aaron watched her. She caught his look and blushed, focusing on his son. They played for about two hours and he watched the color come to her cheeks and the easy laugh she used. "Miss Erin, I'm getting tired. Will you read to me if we head inside?"

Even from twenty feet away, he could read her. She tensed up, glancing at him before nodding. His son grinned up at her and tugged her inside. Aaron followed after them, trying not to focus on the way her ass looked in jeans. He had forgotten what she had looked like in pants, since she preferred to wear skirts or dresses to work.

After Aaron had let them in, he went into the living room, pulling out some paperwork he needed to get finished over the weekend. He could tell when she sat down next to him, as he could smell her perfume. "I don't know if I can do this, Aaron."

"You'll be fine, I promise." She nodded and reached out for his hand, not looking at him. "Do you know what he's looking for?"

"He didn't say." Moments later, Jack came racing into the room, wriggling his way between them. "What book are we going to read, Jack?"

"I want you to read this to me." Aaron smiled as he saw that his son had picked out the _Chronicles of Narnia_ omnibus that they had been working through every night he was home. "Sorry, Daddy, but I want to continue on a little farther. You can read to me tonight, okay?"

He nodded as Erin opened the book to the place marked by the ribbon. As Aaron went back to his work, he tried not to focus on how, the closer Erin got to the end of _Voyage of the Dawn Treader_ , the huskier her voice became. Finally, though, he had to reach out and rest his arm around her shoulders, comforting her.

When she had finished the book, she replaced the ribbon and set it on the coffee table. Jack curled up in her arms as she cried, his little hands holding tightly to her shirt. "Miss Erin, why are you crying?"

"I love the story so much, Jack. It means so much to me, knowing that there is a Far East, where we can go and be cleansed if we are unafraid." Her smile wobbled a little as she looked over at Aaron, and he nodded at her, smiling back. A deep sigh erupted from her lips as she stroked Jack's hair. "Now, would you like to help me with supper?"

He nodded enthusiastically against her chest. "Could we make chicken?"

"We'll have to see what's in the kitchen, sweetheart," she replied as she stood up and made her way over to the kitchen. Jack followed at her heels, chattering away animatedly. Aaron's smile grew as he finished up the rest of his paperwork, listening to the two interact.

Soon, the delicious scent of something began to fill the apartment, and he tucked away the files, standing and stretching before stretching back out on the couch, picking up the book Erin had set aside. Turning to the place where she had read from, he saw some of the pages were marked with her tears and he felt his heart clench strangely.

Looking over the back of the couch, he watched his son and Erin interact. She was a natural with him, and he hoped that this would help to heal her broken spirit. She caught him staring and blushed before looking away, focusing on the pot on the stove as she resumed her conversation with Jack.


	6. Chapter 6

Jack had gone to bed with surprisingly little fuss and by the time Aaron had returned to the living room, Erin had already changed into pajamas. Her legs were drawn up to her chest, and she was just staring ahead of her. "Penny for your thoughts."

She looked up at him and he saw that she was crying once more. "I suppose it's time to begin to tell my story. Or, at least the first part." He nodded and was surprised when she curled up into him, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"Just tell me whatever you feel comfortable with, Erin." She nodded slowly and took a deep breath.

"They tell us, in rehab, that we shouldn't get into a relationship until it's been at least six months. That's to ensure that we actually have our feet under us once more. But, after Dave's birthday last year, he was hurting so badly. I wanted to comfort him. We had been in a relationship before, between Carolyn and his second wife."

"Weren't you married then?" he asked.

She lightly tugged on his shirt and he stroked her hair. "No, I wouldn't get married for another year yet. We had our children late." He nodded and she made a soft sound in the back of her throat. "So, it was easy to fall back into a relationship with him. It was comfortable. And I found myself falling in love with him."

She choked on her tears and then coughed a little, her hand digging into the flesh of his stomach. "What is it?"

"I lost our baby."

"What?"

"I got knocked up by him. We weren't careful about protection, since I am fifty. The chances were so small that I could conceive. He doesn't know. I plan on keeping it that way. If he couldn't be faithful to just me, what would have happened had we added a child to the mix? I think that might have been part of what drove me to…sleeping with other men for money. I had lost everything, you see."

Her tears wetted his shirt and he moved his hand down to rub her arm, pulling her all the closer to him. "And you had no one to support you through that sorrow. Haley lost a baby, too."

"I remember that," she said quietly. "I felt so badly for her, and you, even if I didn't particularly care for you at the time. It took Milwaukee for that opinion to start changing." She fell silent and he tightened his grip around her shoulders. "I can feel the fire in my blood, Aaron. I want…"

"What will help you the most?"

"Something I don't want you to feel obligated to give me. Something that might ruin this odd friendship I want with you." She turned her face up to look at him. "Would you kiss me, though? Please?"

She sounded so fragile, like she would break if he touched her too roughly. "All you needed to do was ask." He bent his head and covered her lips with his. He felt her sigh and he closed his arms around her waist, pulling her onto his lap. He couldn't control his physical reaction to her, and he felt her stiffen in his arms as his arousal became evident to her. Then, her arms were encircling his neck, holding him to her.

"If we were free, I wouldn't hesitate to let you take me to bed. I want that so very much right now, Aaron." She straddled him, looking into his eyes. Her gaze was so sad and yet so full of longing, and he just nodded as he leaned forward to kiss her lips once more.

Erin moaned a little, letting him slip his tongue inside to taste and feel the interior of her mouth. "You taste so good, Rin," he murmured when they'd broken the kiss and she smiled as she collapsed against him.

"If we keep doing this, we won't be able to control our actions." He nodded and she turned her face to kiss his cheek. "I don't want to go to sleep alone. Would you hold me until I fall asleep?"

"That I can do, Erin," he replied as he helped her to stand. Clasping her hand, he led her over to the bedroom and then to the bed. She sat first, curling up as close to the far edge as she could, as if she didn't really trust herself. "Tell me a happy memory from your childhood," he whispered as he spooned his body around hers.

"I grew up on an old apple orchard. Father fancied himself a gentleman farmer, having inherited quite a bit of money from his father. I loved getting lost amongst the trees." She turned in his arms, resting her head on his chest. "Apple blossom time was my favorite time of year. The soft, heady, fragrance of them filled the air with a warm sense of magic. It's mine, you know, even if I haven't been there in years."

"And where is this magical place?" he asked as he stroked her hair lightly.

"Upstate New York. I miss that part of my life, Aaron." She sighed and he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "But we can never go back to who we once were, can we?"

"Unfortunately not." She looked up at him, and he tried to smile encouragingly at her. "We can move forward, though, using our experiences to shape us into a better person." She nodded before kissing him softly, closing her arms around his waist.

"Would you and Jack go with me some weekend? My children never really fell in love with the place, like I did, and I just want to share it with someone else." Her words were soft and hesitant, as if she were afraid of asking such of him.

"I think that we should do that soon. I imagine that it looks beautiful this time of year."

She shrugged. "If you like barren trees. The leaves haven't begun to bud out yet. But if you want to go, I'll take you."

He nodded. "Next weekend, then, if I'm home. I have a little bit of time off built up, and could take Friday and the following Monday off. We could leave Thursday evening, once we get home from work." It was so easy to take control like this, and he hoped that she didn't mind it.

"That might be nice. It does take about eight hours to get there from here, so leaving Thursday and driving four hours might be nice." There was a slight note of hope in her voice and he tugged her closer to his side.

"You are amazing," he murmured in her ear, feeling her shake her head against his chest. "You are. In time, you'll see that again." Aaron let his hands wander down her back, cupping her ass lightly. He was surprised when she wiggled against his hands, letting him embrace her so intimately. "You were made to be held, and loved, and cherished, and I will support you until you feel ready to take that first step out of the nest, to stand on your own once more."

"Oh, Aaron…" She kissed him once more before nuzzling her face in his shoulder. "I'm tired now." He nodded and focused on her breathing, listening to it even out as she gave herself over to sleep. Once he was certain she was out, he tried to disentangle himself, but found that the more he tried to pull away, the tighter her arms wrapped around him. Knowing it was a losing battle, he gave in and held her close, letting his body relax into sleep as well, breathing in her sweet scent.


	7. Chapter 7

"So, how did it go Friday night?" Rossi asked as he peeked his head inside Aaron's office Monday morning.

Aaron looked up at him in shock. "I thought that something like that was kept private, Dave." He folded his arms across his chest and stared at the older man, trying to suss out what the man was getting to.

"I have ways of getting information." He grinned lecherously at Aaron, and Aaron found himself having a hard time controlling his shudder of disgust. "Aren't their women wonderful? So, who did you have? I prefer Scheherazade, myself."

"I spent the evening with some blonde. I can't remember her name."

Dave raised his eyebrows. "Was it that bad?"

"No, I couldn't go through with anything, Dave. I realized that that was not who I am, and so we spent a few hours talking, I left her the fee, and then went home." He looked down at the file on his desk. "Oh, and I'm taking Friday and Monday off, so if the team is called out on a case, I want you to lead it."

"Are you going someplace?" the older man asked as he took a seat in front of him.

"Yeah, I'm taking Jack on a little weekend trip. It's been a while since we spent four whole days together." He smiled as he thought about Erin and Jack. "It will be good to have some time away from this job."

"Yeah." Rossi grinned as he stood up. "I'll see you at the briefing, Hotch."

Aaron nodded absently and focused on the paperwork he needed to finish for Erin. While he had driven them to work that morning, she had become all business the moment they stepped on the elevator, pulling out her phone and checking her messages while they rode up to the sixth floor. There was no hint that they were anything more than coworkers, and he supposed it was better that way.

Finally, he finished the report and signed off on it, setting it in his out box. Taking a look at his watch, he saw that it was time for the briefing to begin. Most of the team was gathered in the round room already, though Penelope met him in the hall, smiling at him. "Hey, I'm so glad I'm not the only one running a bit behind today."

"It's Monday, we're all allowed one of those a month," he gently teased, knowing she would laugh at him.

The adorable giggle that she had bubbled out of her lips as she nodded. "I suppose. And I just got the notification of your time off request, which is why I'm running behind. This case looks to be a lengthy one, so I'm assuming you're just going to be putting together the initial profile here."

He nodded. "It's going to be odd to be the one staying behind this time."

"We all deserve some time off once in a while, Sir." Her warm smile encouraged him somewhat and they walked in the room together. Rossi looked at them askance, like he was putting them together, and he just shook his head. The man shrugged, as if to say he could do worse. "So, this is our current case…"

Penelope went on to explain all the details that they had so far and then he jumped in to say that he would not be accompanying them on this case. "Why, Hotch?" Blake looked at him analytically, as if trying to solve a puzzle that she didn't have the picture to.

"I want to spend some time with my son. There's this great spot in upstate New York where I'm taking him for a long weekend." She nodded and followed Reid out of the room. The others left, too, and he began to stand when Penelope motioned for him to sit down. She looked furtively around the room, making certain that no one could overhear her.

"Did you really visit that escort place that Rossi uses?" she hissed lowly, a questioning look on her face.

"Kind of."

"Kind of? Either you did or you didn't. There is no try in this equation."

He sighed. "Yes, I used the service, but no, I did not sleep with the woman. We ended up talking for a while." He looked at her, frowning. "Again, I have to ask this question. How do you know about it?"

She blushed bright red. "I heard Rossi talking on the phone about it. He didn't realize I was right behind him on the stairs this morning. And I so wouldn't judge you if you used that outlet, Sir, since sometimes we just need that sweet release in the arms of a stranger." Her smile wobbled a little and he found himself enfolding her in a tight hug. "Thanks. I didn't mean to pry, I just wanted to let you know that someone has your back, should you ever need anything."

He nodded and chucked her chin lightly. "You are the perfect friend, Garcia."

"Thanks. Oh, and Erin's time off was approved as well. Have a good weekend together."

He gaped at her as she sashayed out of the room. It would definitely be in his best interest to keep Garcia on his good side, given what she was inferring from the similar time off requests. He made his way to his office and began to sort through the backlog of paperwork that needed to be completed before he left for the day.

His thoughts, though, turned to Erin constantly. Jack had joined them in bed Sunday morning, a bright smile on his face as he snuggled between the two of them. Aaron had been surprised at the way he had accepted the situation as normal, not questioning why Erin had tear tracks on her cheeks. While they bonded, he had made them breakfast in bed, and Erin smiled gratefully at him. There had been something unspeakably lovely about her in that moment that he couldn't help but lean down and kiss her forehead tenderly.

They'd spent the day indoors, as the sky had clouded over and then started pouring. He had enjoyed the time spent with her in his arms, reading something on her iPad while Jack played videogames. And then, in the evening, Jack had asked if he could sleep with them, and he'd seen from the look in Erin's eyes that she wanted that desperately. He'd nodded and both of them smiled widely.

Leaning back in his chair, he thought about ways that he could make Erin happy, make her better. He knew that she wanted a friend in the midst of this Hell that she was going through. And he wanted to be that friend for her. Even if he did find himself desiring her. She seemed to pick up on those feelings, and had shied away from him a little, letting Jack settle between them once more.

Sighing, he picked up his cellphone and dialed a local florist, ordering a bouquet to be delivered to her the next morning. It was the least that he could do, after all, and he hoped that she liked them.

Sitting up straight, he returned to his work, hoping that his concentration would return the longer he focused on the cases in front of him.


	8. Chapter 8

He waited anxiously for the flowers to arrive, watching the elevator doors for that moment. The delivery woman stepped out with a vase of pink roses, and from what he could see, they looked perfect. Sighing in relief, he sat back down at his desk and signed off on another report. At least he didn't have to worry about Rossi saying something to him about his concern.

A soft knock on his door a few minutes later had him looking up into Penelope's dancing brown eyes. "You sent her roses that mean you admire her? That is too, too, adorable, Hotch," she said as she shut the door behind her. "When are you going to tell the others about this little crush you have on our Section Chief?"

He knew he was blushing, it seemed like Garcia was the only one who could bring out that reaction in him, and motioned for her to sit down. "I do not have a crush on Erin, Garcia. I do admire her for her tenacity and for being able to come here every day, knowing that she had to face Rossi after everything he did to her."

She nodded, a disbelieving look on her face. "You'd have been better off sending her white roses, since you want to keep this under wraps. I won't tell anyone about your relationship, Hotch, I promise. I know how much you both covet your privacy."

"We're friends at the moment, Penelope. Nothing more. Neither of us is ready to be in a relationship at the moment, and it is nice having another friend to talk with."

"All right, we'll stick to that story for the moment." She reached out and patted his hand lightly. "I'll see you later." She bounced from the room, and he just knew that she was going to start playing matchmaker between him and Erin.

Trying to go back to his work, he once more found his thoughts wandering. Sighing, he stood and picked up the file he was working on, deciding to head to Erin's office. Helen was behind her desk, and she smiled up at him. "She's free at the moment, Agent Hotchner. Go right on in."

Nodding at the woman, he went into Erin's inner sanctum. She looked up from her paperwork, a tiny smile appearing on her lips when she saw that it was him. "Aaron. Thank you for the flowers." A tender look softened her eyes as she reached out and caressed the petals of one rose. "He never sent me flowers."

"Alan or Dave?"

"Dave. He thought I didn't need the romance of the gesture. But I always have loved fresh flowers. So, thank you." She looked up at him, and Aaron took in the fine sheen of tears that made her eyes glitter. Moving to her side, he knelt down and leaned forward, brushing his lips over hers.

"You deserve something beautiful in your life, Erin."

She blushed a little, rubbing her face into the palm of his hand. "I missed you last night. I know I said that we shouldn't sleep together, but I couldn't sleep, I kept waking up from nightmares, and I didn't want to bother you, and…"

"I understand, Erin. And I'll be there tonight."

She nodded before reaching out and hugging him tightly. "I don't like being this insecure. It's not who I am, and yet it's what these damned addictions have reduced me to."

"It's only when we're broken that we can relearn who we are and who will stick by us through thick and thin." Without thinking, he leaned in for another kiss, letting her deepen it as she tightened her arms around him.

"I needed that," she sighed out as she let go of him. "Thank you."

He nodded and stood back up. "I noticed that Jess is starting to warm a little to you. When did you get a chance to talk to her?"

"Yesterday afternoon. You stayed late, so I had Anderson run me to the apartment. We talked about the trip that we're taking. She seemed relieved that I am only friends with you right now, and that I was thinking of Jack's well-being first and foremost."

"And what about the future?" Aaron had no idea why he asked that question, and Erin looked away from him quickly.

"The future is hazy, and there are things that I want that I'm not sure I'm entitled to any longer. I suppose I'll just have to take things a day at a time and see how it goes." Her lower lip trembled, and he hated that he had made her cry. Gently, he pulled her into his arms and led her over to the sofa, letting her cry on his shoulder.

It didn't take long for her to regain control of her emotions, and she settled back on the sofa, looking up at him through spiky lashes. "You are so very lovely," he whispered, watching her smile at the compliment.

"Thank you. I really needed to hear that today."

"Which cravings are you being bombarded with?" he asked as he pulled her close once more.

"Both. It's my son's birthday today, and he didn't answer my call or email. I sent him a present, but I'm half-afraid that he's going to send it back unopened. Losing myself in either vice would be preferable to this."

Suddenly, the insecurity of the morning made more sense to him and he rubbed her arm lightly. She made a soft sound of pleasure and turned towards him, resting her head on his chest. "Jack and I will get you through this, I promise. Do you want to pick up a pizza for tonight, and then make microwave s'mores and camp out in front of the television?"

Erin smiled a little. "That might be the most perfect ending to this horrid day. I really do enjoy spending time with Jack and you."

"And I know that Jack really enjoys spending time with you. Just not in the same way as his father." He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before lightly pulling away from her. "I should probably get going, though. Helen's going to wonder what we're doing in here, and the last thing I need is another matchmaker trying to set us up."

"Let me guess, Ms. Garcia?" He nodded. "She's a sweetheart, but a bit overwhelming."

"I know that full well. Remember when she applied to be a part of the BAU?"

"How could I forget that sweet pink stationary? I was reminded of _Legally Blonde_ , truth be told, which was part of the reason that I approved the transfer." They stood and he went over to the door, opening it to reveal the very woman they had been speaking of. "Ah, Ms. Garcia. What can we help you with?"

"I just wanted to see if you two wanted to get lunch with me and Helen." She smiled sweetly at them. "We were planning on heading out to Qdoba."

"Mexican, eh? I suppose that I'm up for that," Erin answered, looking up at him. "What about you, Aaron?"

"I would love to take three lovely women to lunch," was his quick reply and Penelope grinned at him. "We'll head out at one?"

"Sounds like a plan to me, Boss Man." They switched places and he watched as the woman settled her hand on Erin's upper arm, leading her back inside her office. Suddenly, Aaron felt like he and Erin were going to be like fish in an aquarium during their lunch, and he shuddered a little. This was going to be interesting indeed.


	9. Chapter 9

Erin came to him promptly at five. He looked up from his paperwork, a crooked smile on his lips. "Did you have a good time at lunch?"

"I did, yes. Thanks for picking up the tab. Are you ready to head out?"

"I am." Aaron signed off on the file he was working on. "So, do you want this now, or tomorrow?"

She laughed lightly, shaking her head. "Leave it in your outbox, I'll look at it in the morning." Erin held out her hand and he stood, going to her side. Slipping his hand into the crook of her elbow, he guided her out the door. Penelope happened to glance out at them as they approached the stairs, and she waved, smiling widely.

"Have a good night!" she called out, and Erin nodded absently to her, smiling in return.

"I like her, Aaron." Erin glanced up at him as they got in the elevator. "I just don't know how she'll look at me when I tell her about my problem. A lot of people are going to look askance at me, aren't they?"

He took a deep breath. "Probably. Though I think Garcia will be the least judgmental. She's seen a lot in her short life. You know, you don't have to tell everyone. Just those who you think should know." She nodded and stepped closer to him as the doors closed. Her perfume overwhelmed his senses and he tightened his hand on her elbow.

"That hurts a little, Aaron," she murmured, wriggling her elbow and he let go, only to wrap his arm around her waist. "So, I'll start packing tonight for our trip. I like to be prepared, you know."

"I do. That's the one thing I know for certain about you." He felt a slight shiver run through her and he smiled a little as he pulled her more tightly to him. "So, I'm sorry about the scrutiny. I know Penelope means well."

"And so does Helen. She wants the best for me." Erin drew in a shaky breath. "Are we going to stop at the store before we head home?"

He was surprised at how quickly she had begun referring to his apartment as home, but then, he supposed that she was looking for a home, a place to feel safe. "No, I have everything I need to make the s'mores, and I had Jessica order the pizza for us. I hope you don't mind, but I invited her to stay for a little bit."

"That will be fine. I have to get to know Jack's family." She smiled warmly up at him before blushing and looking down at the floor. "You have a brother, don't you?"

"That's right, Sean. He lives in New York City, learning how to be a chef."

"That sounds interesting. We'll have to go up and visit him sometime…I'm sorry. I'm planning for a future that doesn't exist. Forgive my lapse."

Aaron began to rub her back softly and she leaned in to him, welcoming the touch. "There's nothing to forgive, Erin. I'm sort of planning on that future, too. It's sort of easy to fall into that pattern of thinking with you."

She nodded and then rested her head against his chest. "But I cannot think like that. You have to understand that. Much though I would love to be free enough to start something as wonderful as a relationship with you, I'm not."

Her soft honesty tugged at his heart and he wrapped her into a tight embrace. "One day, you will be."

"Hopefully, with someone as kind and loving as you," she whispered, her hands splaying out on his back. "I need someone like you in my life to keep me on even keel. Will you help me find that person?"

For some reason, her words cut at his heart like a sharp knife, but he nodded just the same. "I will." The elevator doors opened up and he led her over to his car. After helping her inside, he went over and got in, quickly driving them home.

Jack ran up to them the minute he unlocked the door, throwing his arms around Erin. "Miss Erin, Miss Erin, the pizza's already here! Aunt Jessica has it set up in the living room. She said tonight was a special night and that we would be watching a movie while we eat! Can I sit by you?"

"Of course you may, Jack. Did you have a good day at school?"

"Of course I did. Oh, and my teacher gave me homework to do over my long weekend. I don't think that's very fair, since we're going on vacation."

Erin laughed and followed his son into the living room. Aaron leaned against the doorjamb, watching them interact, when Jessica came up to him. "She's really good with Jack, isn't she?"

He nodded. "I never expected the two of them to hit it off as well as they have. She told me she didn't want to get involved, because she didn't want to hurt him."

"What's eating at her?" The question took him off guard, and he looked over at his former sister in law. "I can see the raw pain in her eyes, Aaron. What is her deal?"

"I can't tell you all the details, Jess. But she has a very hard road to hoe. Thank you for being so accepting of her. She told me that you guys talked the other day and came to a sort of understanding."

"We did. You know, she reminds me of Haley. She used to have that same dreamy look on her face as Erin does when she talks about you or Jack. There's a lot of love in her heart."

Aaron looked at them once more, feeling a gentle peace settle over his soul. "I'm coming to find that out. I think this weekend away is going to be the best thing for us, I really do. She needs to be reminded that she is loved, even in the platonic sense."

"Or not so platonic," Jessica softly teased, and he shook his head.

"Neither of us is ready for anything more than that. If and when she is ready, and she decides she wants to be with me, then we'll talk about the romantic aspects of this strange ride we're on."

Erin turned back to look at them, a wide smile on her face. "Are you going to join us sometime soon? The pizza is getting cold. And I see Jess was kind enough to get root beer to go along with it."

Jessica nudged him hard and he stumbled forward, heading over to Erin's side. Jess took a seat next to Jack and pressed play on the remote, starting up _Tangled_. As they ate and watched, Erin relaxed once more, curling up against him. Aaron's free hand came to rest on the dip of her waist, his thumb rubbing up and down her side.

When the movie was over, Jessica cleared their plates and put away the leftovers while Jack picked out a new movie, changing the discs quickly and then cuddling in next to Erin. "Did you like that movie, Erin?"

"Yes, I did, Jack. What are we going to watch next?"

"Nanny McPhee." He grinned up at her before resting his head on her lap. Jessica rejoined them, setting a plate of s'mores on the table in front of them. Jack's hand snaked out and grabbed one, never lifting his head from Erin's lap. "I can't wait for our trip, Daddy."

"Neither can I, Jackers." He ruffled his son's hair. "It is going to be a wonderful weekend." Aaron looked down into Erin's eyes and smiled, trying to ignore the giggle that erupted from Jessica as she picked up a s'more and winked at them.


	10. Chapter 10

"All right, Jack. This is your last chance to pick something up before we get underway once more."

His son smiled up at him and grabbed hold of Erin's hand. "We'll go and find something for the drive, Daddy." He watched his son tug Erin into the store and then began to fuel up. It hadn't taken very long to load the car up, as Erin had had most everything ready and at the door that morning. Getting underway had been another story, as there had been a traffic accident that had caused a long backup.

Erin, bless her heart, had kept Jack entertained with stories that even Aaron had found himself enamored with, and he didn't really mind the extra time. Smiling, he watched them go through the store as he filled up, and then he joined them, picking up a large bottle of water and a granola bar. "Is that all you're going to get, Aaron?"

He glanced down at Erin, surprised to see that she was carrying three sugary snacks and a bottle of soda. "Yes. I, for one, am not going to have a sugar crash while driving. The moment you finish that, you are going to pass out from exhaustion, Erin."

She blushed, looking away from him. "Yes, well, I know that you'll wake me when we get to the hotel, if I should fall asleep. And I have a bit of a sweet tooth."

Aaron laughed a little as he reached out and rubbed her back. "I'm just teasing you, Erin."

She shrugged and thrust the things she was holding at him. "I don't do teasing well." He could hear the hurt underneath her brusque words and he closed his hand around her waist. "Aaron?"

"I'm sorry." She looked up at him, her eyes luminous from unshed tears. "I teased Haley and Beth all the time. I guess I'm just used to it." She nodded and tried to smile, but it never quite reached her eyes. Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss to her lips, feeling her melt against him. "Go wait for me in the car, okay?"

Erin nodded, her features softening. "All right. Jack, give your things to your father and come with me." His son nodded, handing over a bottle of Gatorade and some candy before slipping his hand into Erin's, sticking close to her side.

Going up to the clerk, he paid for the gas and their snacks. It didn't take long to get everything settled and then he was going back out to the car. Jack was hooked up in his seat and Erin was curled up in the passenger seat, a soft smile on her lips. "Daddy, Miss Erin said that we're almost to the hotel room! Do I really have to sleep in my own bed tonight?"

"Well, usually hotel rooms have small beds, not like ours at home, so yeah, you will."

"Fine!" He said with a definite pout and Erin laughed gently, her hands coming to rest in her lap. "But you will read me a bedtime story, right, Miss Erin?"

"I was thinking that you could read something to me, Jack. I like listening to you."

"Okay." Aaron smiled as he started the car and pulled out into traffic. He wasn't surprised that within twenty minutes both Erin and Jack were asleep, their snacks and drinks untouched. After another forty five minutes on the road, he was pulling into the parking lot of the hotel and went inside.

"Reservation for Hotchner," he said to the clerk, and she tapped away at her keyboard, calling it up.

"All right, I have you on the ground floor, close to the elevator. We serve a continental breakfast beginning at five thirty, local calls are free, check out time is eleven. Have a good evening."

She handed him two key cards and a paper that showed where there room was as she smiled at him. Nodding to her, he turned and left the lobby, returning to the still sleeping Erin and Jack. Quickly, he drove around to the side of the building, parking near the door before turning the car off and getting out.

Opening the trunk, he pulled out the overnight bag Erin had insisted on packing for them and then went inside, putting their things down before coming back out for Jack. His son groaned a little as he picked him up, curling up into him. It didn't take long to get him into their room and onto a bed, and then he was returning to Erin, smiling gently as he opened her door. "Erin, wake up. We've arrived."

She blinked rapidly as she looked at him, a soft, open, expression on her face. "How long was I asleep?"

"Almost an hour and a half. I didn't want to wake you; you looked like you needed the rest." She nodded and he reached out to caress her cheek, listening to her sigh softly. "Jack's in the room already, still out to the world."

"We should probably join him, then," she murmured as she undid her belt and slipped out of the car. She managed to catch her toe in a small crack in the asphalt and pitched forward into his arms, scraping her own arm against the car door. "Ouch!"

"Careful there, Rin." He steadied her and she wrapped her arms around his waist, holding on tightly. "Are you okay?"

"I think so. I've always been a bit clumsy." He nodded and rubbed her back softly. "Let's head inside." She kept her arm around his waist as they went in to their room. Jack had managed to sprawl himself out on his bed, his body seeming to take up every available inch of space, and he listened to Erin laugh lowly. "He's so adorable, Aaron."

"Isn't he, though? Sometimes, I find it hard to look at him, he reminds me so of Haley."

"Oh, Aaron," she whispered, turning in his arms once more. He felt her lips gently press against his cheek, and then he was holding her tightly, trying not to cry. "How much you must still miss her. I wish that there had been some way we could have caught that man sooner, before he destroyed something so precious to you."

Her tender words touched his heart and he nodded against her head. "Thank you, Rin." She sighed lightly, nuzzling her face against his shoulder. "We should probably get changed," he said after a few moments.

"Probably." Instead of pulling away from him, she pressed herself closer to his body, her arms tightening around his waist. "Could you just hold me for a little bit longer?" He nodded and began to rub her back. "I love this, you know. And I've missed this. Someone holding me tightly, gently, not pressuring me to do something I don't want to do."

"I would never pressure you to do anything, I promise," he murmured before pressing his lips to the crown of her head.

"I know, Aaron, I know." Finally, she pulled back from him, her lashes spiky with tears. "Would you join me in the bathroom? Please?"

There was something infinitely tender about her question, and he nodded. "Yes, of course."

"Thank you." She went over to their bag and pulled out the nightclothes she had packed before going into the other room. Aaron trailed after her, finding the bathroom small, though not cramped. Looking over, he saw that Erin had stripped down to her bra and panties already, and he smiled appreciatively. A soft blush stained her face and neck and he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. "Aaron?"

"You just look so lovely in this moment, Rin. May I kiss you?"

"That was sort of why I asked you in here. I didn't want to take the chance that Jack might wake up and see us locked in an embrace." Standing on her tiptoes, Erin pressed her lips against his. He groaned lowly as her nearly bare breasts flattened against his chest, and he deepened the kiss, letting his hands cup her ass and hold her tightly.

Finally, they broke the kiss and she stared into his eyes. The only thing he could focus on was the stormy grey color they had taken on, and he leaned in and kissed her once more. "You taste lovely, too."

"Thanks." She shyly tucked her hair behind her ear before reaching back to unclasp her bra, letting it fall to the floor as she picked up her nightie and pulled it over her head. "I'll see you back out there," she murmured, brushing past him. All he could do was stare after her, feeling his heart leave with her.


	11. Chapter 11

In the morning, Aaron woke up to Erin wrapped around him, one of her legs fitted between his. He could feel the heat that radiated off her core and he groaned lowly, trying to shift away from her without disturbing her. It was a losing battle, though, and she blinked open her eyes. "Aaron? What time is it?"

"Just a little after seven. Are you ready to get up?"

She nodded and sat up, stretching as she yawned. "I feel so much better this morning. Maybe all I needed to do was head home with the people…"

"The people who what, Erin?"

She blushed and looked away from him, slipping from the bed and padding over to the bag. Hurriedly, she pulled her clothes out of it and scurried into the bathroom, shutting the door in his face. From her reaction, he knew that she had been about to admit something tender and precious, something she didn't want to face at that moment, and he sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

Going over to Jack, he quickly shook him awake, smiling as he bolted up and out of bed. "Good morning, Daddy! Where's Miss Erin?"

"She's in the bathroom, getting ready for the day. Do you want to get dressed now, too?" He nodded and Aaron went over, tossing the clothes to his son. Turning his back, he gave his son some privacy to change while he took out his clothes for the day. Erin rejoined them moments later, and sat on the bed, holding out her hand. Instinctively, Aaron knew she was asking for her brush, and he tugged it out, handing it to her before bending down and brushing his lips against hers. "I don't mind if Jack thinks we're more than friends, Erin," he whispered before standing back up and heading over to the bathroom, quickly changing out of his night clothes and into the outfit she had picked for him.

When he stepped back into the room, Jack was cuddled up close to Erin, his head on her chest as he read to her from her iPad. "Are we eating at the continental breakfast, or on the road?"

"If we eat here, we can cut some time off our journey. It would get you home faster." She nodded, a gentle smile curving her lips. Standing, she put away the iPad, holding her hand out to Jack. His son clasped it without hesitation, and they went over to the door.

Aaron opened it before wrapping his arm around Erin's waist, drawing her close. She melted against him, no stiffness this morning, like he had been expecting, after their earlier exchange. "I cannot wait to show you my home. And my heart." The last three words were whispered so low that he barely heard them.

Looking down at her, he saw that she was gazing up at him, a tender look on her face. "Are you ready to show that to me?"

"Maybe." He nodded and squeezed her waist gently. Together, they continued to the room where breakfast was held and he pulled out a chair for her in a table close to the television. "Will you grab me coffee and a bagel, please, Aaron?"

"Of course," he replied, leaning down to kiss her again. "Come on, Jack." His son nodded eagerly and went up to the buffet, filling his plate full of bacon and eggs. Shaking his head, he pointed his son back to their table and picked up two bagels for him and Erin, adding butter and cream cheese packets to the plate as well.

Setting the plate down next to the coffee pots, he quickly poured them each a cup, carefully balancing the plate and cups in his hands as he made his way back to his family. That thought took him aback, but he nodded as he looked at Erin and Jack interacting, their blonde heads bent together. Smiling, he sat next to Erin, reaching out to cover her hand with his.

"Thank you," she whispered as she clasped his hand, squeezing lightly before letting go and buttering her bagel. As they ate, he found himself watching her, and at times, she would catch his eye, smiling and blushing a little as she looked away.

His phone rang, disturbing their quiet morning, and he frowned a little as he pulled it out. "Hotchner here," he answered tersely, not bothering to look at the display.

"Hey, Hotch. It's Garcia. How are things going so far?"

"It's going perfectly. What do you need?"

Erin looked at him, her brow furrowed, and he shook his head, mouthing Penelope's name. She nodded and reached out, resting her hand on his arm. "Rossi is starting to get suspicious about things. Seems like when Erin told her kids she was going up to the farm this weekend, one of them called him to see if they were going together. She hadn't even told them they were broken up yet. He called yesterday and began to prod me for answers. I held him off as best I could, but, he might know about you two."

"Thanks for the heads up, Garcia."

"You're welcome. May I talk to Erin for a moment?"

"I guess." He handed the phone to her and she smiled gently as she took it. "Eat up, buddy, I want to be under way soon." His son nodded and Aaron found himself watching Erin as she talked to Penelope, the smile never leaving her face. She looked so beautiful in that moment of time, and he felt his heart melt even more.

"Daddy, is Miss Erin going to stay with us forever?"

Jack's question startled him a little, and he shrugged as he continued to watch Erin. "It really depends on her, Jack. She has to choose us, and she has to fight her way past a few stumbling blocks. Would you like her to stay forever?"

He nodded vigorously, and Erin shook her head as she reached out and smoothed his hair lightly. There were tears sparkling in her eyes as she looked up at him and he reached out, cupping her face. "I have to go, Penelope. Remember, you have my permission to look up my phone number. I would like to have a girl's night when we get back, and make sure you include Jessica. She's been such a dear to me."

Hanging up, she handed the phone back to Aaron, still smiling. "Forever is a really long time, Aaron. And Penelope heard you say that, and so thinks we're serious."

"Aren't we? I am serious about making your heart whole, about healing you, and seeing you stand on your own once more."

She sighed and stood up, pushing the half-eaten bagel away. "Aaron Hotchner, why didn't I meet you earlier in my life? Why did I let stupid, petty, jealousy blind me to the very wonderful person you are?"

Erin began to cry a little, swiping at her tears with the back of her hand. Jack stood, coming over to her side and hugging her tightly. "Don't cry, Miss Erin. You're with us now. Daddy won't make you cry, I promise."

She turned to his son, enveloping him in her arms as she hugged him back. "I think I know that already, Jackers. My heart, though, might take a little more convincing. Will you promise me something?"

"Anything, Miss Erin."

"Please, never stop being the sweet person you are. Keep becoming the perfect reflection of your parents." Jack nodded against her shoulder, and Aaron felt tears prickle his eyes as he reached out and rubbed her back. "I love you, Jack."

"I love you, too, Miss Erin."


	12. Chapter 12

Aaron grinned as he pulled into the driveway of Erin's family home. It was a long drive, lined with trees, obscuring the view of the house and barn. "Did I see a sign on the stone fence?"

"Yes. Daddy renamed the farm Manderley, after Momma's favorite book. We were a family of book worms, so I hope you don't mind if I encourage that in Jack."

He looked at his son in the rearview mirror, shaking his head as he took in the way his head lolled back against the seat, out to the world. "He is going to need someone like you in his life. You can introduce him to everything I never encountered. I never was much of a recreational reader, so, this will be perfect." Reaching out for her hand, he picked it up and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm gently.

"You are going to keep me in a perpetual blush, Aaron." She smiled at him before drawing her hand back into her lap. "Welcome to my home." He nodded and parked, watching her slip from the car and briskly walk up to the porch, her shoulders lifting and falling as she took a deep breath.

"Wake up, Jack," he said lowly, reaching back to gently shake his leg.

Jack blinked his eyes open and took a look around. "Are we here?"

"Yes, and Miss Erin's waiting for us on the porch." His son grinned excitedly and bounded from the car, running up to Erin's side and hugging her tightly. As he watched, Erin clasped Jack's hand and led him inside, leaving the door open for him.

Getting out, he opened the trunk and pulled out a few of their bags, throwing them over his shoulder and heading inside to join them. "Daddy, come on! Miss Erin is going to show me to my room! She said that the time for sleeping together as a family is when we're home."

Aaron nodded at Erin's telling words and smiled at her. A tender, apprehensive, look clouded her features and he reached out an arm to her, hoping she would take the hint. In moments, she was plastered to his side, her arm coming to rest around his waist. "The bedrooms are upstairs," she said lowly, not looking at him.

"As they should be." Together, they went up to the second floor, and she guided him into the first room. "This will be Jack's room, won't it?"

"Yes. Bruce spent his time here, when I could drag my children up here with me. I hope you like it, Jack."

"It's perfect, Miss Erin," he said as he rushed over to the telescope. "Does it get dark at night?" She nodded and he grinned. "Uncle Spencer has told me about some of the stars. I can't wait to find them for myself."

As Jack occupied himself, Erin gently tugged him out of the room and down the hall. "The master bedroom is here," she murmured as she opened the door. Together, they stepped into a large, airy, room and he smiled. The walls were painted white, the wooden floor was made of an ash blonde wood, and a four-poster bed dominated the middle of the room.

"Are you sure there's enough room there for us both on that bed?" he gently teased, hoping she would take it better than she had the day before.

Looking up at him, she gave him a soft smile and shook her head slowly. "Who said you'd be sleeping on the bed?"

The quick retort caused him to laugh, and her smile grew as she closed the distance between them and kissed him quickly. "If you keep that up, Jack might walk into something we can't stop, Rin. I don't want him to know quite that much about us right now."

"Yes, it would be better to preserve his innocence for a little while longer. Kids learn so early these days what sex is." She sounded a little apprehensive with those words, and he stepped back to look at her. Quickly, her face was losing the openness of earlier, and it broke his heart to know that he had wiped the hope from her.

"There is that. Or there is the fact that I don't want him to lose the magic of childhood too early. His peers will do that for him soon enough, and I want him to think of us as bastions of the fantasy that life can be perfect and wonderful and sweet." She nodded and stepped closer to him once more, wrapping her arms around him as she rested her cheek against his chest. "One of the things I promised Haley was that I would find love once more, and that I would show Jack what happiness is."

"Do you know what happiness is?" she asked softly, taking a seat on the bed, pulling him down next to her, not letting her grip on him loosen.

"I'm finding it once more in your arms," he answered truthfully and she sighed lightly. "What?"

"You make it so very easy to fall in love with you, Aaron."

"That's what I thought I would hear earlier today. You shied away, though. What changed?"

"Honestly?" He nodded. "The way you answered Jack at the hotel. Putting it in my hands, not forcing me to choose what you so clearly wanted, helped to set my heart at ease. I won't be able to give you another child."

He stopped her words with his finger, and she kissed it softly. "Erin, you don't need to worry about that."

"No, you need to know that I, when I lost the baby David and I would have had, it did something to me. I wasn't paying the closest attention, I don't know the technical terms, all I know is that until I go through menopause, I'll have periods, but no payoff."

"If we want another child, we can look to adopting. There are a lot of kids out there who need love. But if you want to keep it to just Jack, I'll understand, too."

Aaron felt her lift her head and press her lips against the line of his jaw. "My heart fell in love with you so easily. Will you be gentle tonight? I haven't had gentle in so many months."

"I will be for you whatever you want and need. And while I can't promise that I won't hurt you at some point, that I won't forget an anniversary or a birthday, I will never fail to make it up to you. You've been sort of easy to fall in love with, too. Jessica had us pegged from the beginning, you know."

"I sort of figured that, what with the way she kept looking at us." Erin drew in a deep breath. "I'm glad that she doesn't mind my moving in with you, moving in on her territory. I, I want to be friends with her. I never had a sister, you know."

"No, I didn't know that. I'm glad that we can give you something wonderful then, a larger family." Bending his head, he kissed her forehead tenderly. "I love this tender side of you. We never really got to see that very often at work."

"I can't really show it to you at work. I need to be a leader, and tenderness isn't really a respected value, unfortunately."

"I know. And I like being privy to this side of you. It can be something that we share."

She nodded before looking up at him, a tender smile on her face. "Well, I would like to let Penelope in, too. She's been so kind. The others, though, I'll still be holding at arm's length, if you don't mind."

"That is perfectly okay, darling." Once more, he kissed her forehead and then they both looked up to see Jack standing in the doorway. "What can we do for you, buddy?"

"I'm getting hungry. Is there anything to eat here?"

Erin laughed and nodded. "I called ahead and had one of the neighbors stock the pantry and fridge for us. Do you want to come help me?"

He nodded and she stood, reaching her hand out to Aaron. He quickly clasped it and let her lead them to the kitchen, eager to take this next step forward with his life.


	13. Chapter 13

"All right, Jack, remember that Erin and I are going to be having private time tonight, just like Beth and I had. If something scares you or upsets you, please knock before you come in, okay?" His son nodded solemnly before hugging Erin and then him.

"I love it here already. I wish that we could live here all the time!" he said straightforwardly.

Aaron shook his head. "That would not be possible, Jack. My job is in the city, you know that."

"I know, Daddy. But I can wish, right?" He nodded and then ruffled his hair lightly. "And maybe someday we can stay here all the time!"

He laughed and shooed his son away. "I wouldn't mind retiring early, Aaron," Erin said softly, once Jack was out of ear range. "If that's what you want."

"We'll have to see what the future brings, Rin. I can tell you that I would love to live here year round, I'm certain it's beautiful no matter when we're here. But…it's my job to hunt down the evil in this world. I owe that much to Jack and to Haley's memory."

She cuddled close to him, resting her forehead on his chest. "And I understand that, I really do. It's just, when the time comes to pass that torch on to a new person, I want to be here. I want to finish my life here, amidst the trees my father loved so."

Her words filled him with an odd sense of peace and he nodded, rubbing her back gently. "That sounds wonderful." Turning them, he led her over to the stairs and they began to climb slowly. "Maybe we could spend Christmas here. I would love to see it in the winter, the snow blanketing the ground."

"It's magical. The pine trees look like they came out of a Currier and Ives painting, and one of the neighbors has horses and a sleigh. We could take Jack on a ride, and come home for warm apple cider. I can have a tree cut down, the great room can handle one up to eleven feet tall. Oh, please, may we return?"

She stopped in the middle of the stairs and smiled with joy. "Yes. I would do anything to keep you this happy. You deserve to be this happy. I love you." Her eyes began to brim with tears as she nodded and started back up the stairs, a sprightliness to her walk.

"Oh, Aaron, how I adore you," she whispered as she stopped them in front of the door. "How I love you. You blew into my life, rescued me, and gave me hope. Thank you." She plastered herself to him, kissing him passionately. "I know, we have to get behind the door, but I needed to kiss you now."

"I understand," he replied gently, opening the door and leading them inside. "Now, are there any ground rules you want to lay before we make love tonight?"

She smiled as she took a seat on the bed, patting the spot next to her. He nodded and closed the door, coming to sit down next to her. "Yes. Thank you for asking. Um, I do not like anal sex. I do not like doggie style. I want to watch your face while we make love, I want to know that what I'm doing is pleasing you. I do not like any sort of BDSM play. I endured too much of that with my clients to ever find it pleasurable. My breasts are really sensitive. I enjoy being suckled. And I like being eaten out. I know a lot of men don't like going down on a woman, but, if you're comfortable with that, I do enjoy it."

"Tonight is about you, sweetheart."

"That's all well and good, but it should be pleasurable for you as well. What do you like?" She reached for the hem of her blouse and tugged it over her head, smiling at him beguilingly. "I can be whoever you want me to be."

"Then be yourself, Erin. React from pleasure, give yourself over to me. As long as I'm making you happy, I'll be happy, okay?" She nodded and leaned into him, kissing him softly. He used the distraction to reach behind her back and unclasp her bra. Erin sighed into his mouth when he cupped her breasts, kneading them softly. "Lean back, sweetheart. I've got you."

She nodded and fell back against the bed, one arm coming to rest above her head as she met his eye. "Do, do I look okay?"

"Honestly?" She nodded, biting her lip. "You are gorgeous, beautiful, lovely. All the adjectives that describe looks would not be enough to encompass just how amazing you look to me right now." He stood up and quickly shucked his clothes, leaving his boxers on for the moment. "And now it is my moment to worship you."

A shy smile spread across her face as she raised her other arm, grabbing hold of the headboard, as if anchoring herself to the present. Aaron lowered his mouth to cover hers in a tender kiss, focusing on how she tasted. Knowing that he had to move softly and with care, he pressed the tip of his tongue against the seam of her lips, and listened to her purr in pleasure as she opened her mouth, letting him in.

As they kissed, he let his hands roam up and down her body, finding the little spots that brought her pleasure. He smiled when she jumped at the soft touches to the underside of her breast, pressing her body closer to his. And he couldn't help but chuckle at the way she squirmed when he gently tickled the curve of her hips.

"Aaron, please," she gasped out when he had finally released her lips. Her body was pliant to his touch, her left leg hooked around his hips as she tried to pull him down on top of her. "I need to feel you in me, please."

He kissed her softly before nodding, slipping off his boxers and pushing them off to the floor. Without hesitation, her legs parted for him, and he slipped his hand between her thighs, finding her wet and wanting. Carefully, he pushed into her, unable to stop the groan that left his lips as she tightened around him, drawing him further in.

Once Aaron was certain that she was comfortable, he began to thrust in and out of her in a slow, steady, rhythm. She met him thrust for thrust, urging him to move faster as she raked her fingernails up and down his back. The slight sting was pleasurable, and he accommodated her, picking up the speed. Soon, they were both breathing heavily in tandem, and he buried his face against the side of her neck as he felt his orgasm start.

Erin tugged his hand down to where they were connected, guiding his fingers to her clit. Nodding a little, he positioned his hand so that he could stroke her clit, setting off her own orgasm. Together, they shuddered out their pleasure, and she buried her face in his chest to muffle just how loudly she moaned as she came.

Finally, they calmed enough where he could reach out and stroke her hair, looking into her eyes. "You're perfect," he murmured, smiling a little.

"So are you," she replied, blushing. "And you don't mind my former life? It didn't taint me?"

Her expression was one of terrified longing, and he just shook his head before kissing her forehead. "No, there is no taint here. Just my Erin. My beloved. My sweet one who escaped a life that was killing her." The tears that had been threatening to fall started to roll down her cheeks, and he held her close as she cried. "I love you," he murmured in her ear, and she nodded.

"I love you, too, Aaron. You are my North Star. Always guide me home?"

"I promise, Erin." He pressed another kiss on her skin, listening to her yawn. "Sleep now, when we wake, we'll talk of our future." She nodded once more and splayed her hand out on his chest, a contented sigh slipping from her lips.


	14. Chapter 14

The morning sun streamed in the window, and Aaron stretched as he woke up, relishing the warmth on his skin. Glancing down, he smiled to see that Erin was curled up against him, her back to his chest, her head pillowed on her hands. Unable to resist, he bent down and kissed her cheek tenderly, wondering if she would wake up or continue sleeping.

She blinked her eyes open as she came to wakefulness, and instantly, she found him, giving him a tender, open, smile. "Good morning, Aaron," she whispered before he lowered his lips to kiss her sweetly.

"Good morning. Would you like to shower first, or can we do that after we eat?"

She giggled as her stomach growled lowly. "I guess you know what I'm hungry for," she said, reaching up to caress her cheek. "Do you mind if we eat first?"

"No, that's perfectly fine. Let's get some clothes first, though." Erin nodded and slipped out of bed to pad over to their dresser. Tugging out a pair of pants and shirt, she tossed them to him before taking out a long skirt and peasant blouse for herself. "Would you mind doing something for me, Erin?"

She looked up at him as she hooked her bra, the open look on her face suddenly shuttering. "What, darling?"

"Would you not wear any panties beneath your skirt? We're on vacation, after all, and we're allowed to be a little freer." She shook her head a little, but the sweet smile that crossed her lips told him that she didn't really mind as she tugged the skirt on, smoothing it down her thighs before pulling the blouse over her head.

"Does this look all right, Aaron?" she asked, tugging the blouse down off one shoulder to reveal her bra strap. All he could do was nod and swallow hard, desire pooling in his belly. Somehow, he managed to get out of bed and pull on his clothes, but his eyes remained on Erin, their smiles growing secretive the longer they stared at each other.

A loud banging on the bedroom door caused Erin to start, and she scurried over to his side, letting Aaron wrap his arm around her waist. "Yes?" he called out, watching the door swing open quickly.

"Dad! Your phone is ringing off the hook! Miss Penelope's name is on the display, so I figured it was sort of important." Jack thrust the device at him before running back out the door. Turning his head, he kissed Erin's temple before tapping Penelope's name in his call log.

"Boss Man! I am so sorry to bother you on your vacation, but this couldn't wait. We're in deep donkey dung, and I've been trying to deflect the worst of the rumors."

He tightened his arm around Erin, and she turned against him, her breasts flattening against his side as she rested her head on his chest. "What is going on, Garcia?" he asked, his hand tugging absently on the ends of Erin's hair.

"I think that Rossi let it slip that you may be seeing our hard ass boss, since Director Shepperd stormed in here to ask me about your vacation time, and where the two of you were. I didn't tell him anything, of course, since you two need to be protected, but I figured that a head's up would be good."

He took a deep breath before looking down at Erin. "Yes, that's going to be an issue, isn't it? Do you have the Director's number handy?"

"I can text it to you, Aaron. Seriously, I will do anything to keep the two of you safe, you both deserve to find happiness in this world of ours. Don't tell Erin that, though. I don't think that she'd believe me just yet."

"I have the feeling that she would trust you more than you know. All right, send the information, and we'll deal with it from this end. Thank you for being a friend to both of us, Garcia."

"Aw, anything for you, Boss Man. And I'm calling dibs on being the maid of honor."

He chuckled at that, shaking his head before kissing Erin once more. "I'll run that by her, Garcia. Have a good day."

"You, too!" she chirped out before disconnecting the call. Moments later, he heard the notification of getting a new text, and he pulled the screen away to see the message from his technical analyst.

"What is it, Aaron?" Erin murmured as she rubbed her cheek against his shirt.

"The Director knows about us. Rossi must have let something slip, and he went nosing around to Garcia. I should probably take care of this before it gets out of hand. Would you mind dealing with Derek from now on?"

She pulled away a little to look into his eyes. "Why would I have to deal with him?" she murmured, her brow knitting with confusion.

"Because I would rather step down and let him lead the team than lose you as our Section Chief. And I think that Penelope would probably hurt me if I let that happen, too. She's taken a shining to you, and once you're a part of her cobbled together family, you'll never be allowed to leave." Erin gave him a tender smile, and a small part of him knew that he would have to watch out for that friendship, as there would be no stopping them, ever, once they got started. "So, now I have to call Director Shepperd, and tell him…"

"Tell him what, Aaron?"

"That I have finally managed to move on and fill this hole in my heart. That you have managed to complete me in a way that I never expected, and I don't ever want to be separated from you." The words seemed to just pour from his mouth until Erin was crying, and he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her and letting her cry into his chest. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied before lifting her lips for a kiss. He was happy to oblige her, and then she was sashaying over to the door. "I'll start breakfast with Jack, and you can join us when everything is squared away."

"That sounds perfect," he replied absently and they exchanged another smile before she disappeared out into the hall. Taking a deep breath, he went over to the bed and slumped down on it, staring at his phone. He knew that he would have to call the Director soon, and yet he still wanted to put it off.

Finally, though, he touched the number that Penelope had texted to him before lifting the phone to his ear. It only took two rings before the man in question was answering and he took another deep breath as he listened to the gravely "Hello?"

"Director Shepperd, this is Aaron Hotchner. I heard from Ms. Garcia that you wished to speak with me?"

"Ah, yes. I seem to have heard a rather distressing rumor, about a certain SAC and his Section Chief. About how they're on vacation in upstate New York at the moment, in flagrant disobedience of the frat rules. I do hope that none of that is true."

He was fishing, Aaron knew that for certain, and he let out a long breath as he weighed out his options. "And if it were true?"

"Then we might need to do some serious talking when they return from said vacation. Though, it would have to come after I talked to a certain technical analyst who seems to think that making my life miserable is the right way to make certain that the status quo stays the same."

"I am more than willing to step down and let Agent Morgan lead the team from now on."

"And I would prefer that you continue to lead Alpha. Is this a serious relationship?"

"Yes. I cannot see myself without her in my life. She has managed to sneak up and fit herself into my life, and she's great with Jack. Again, I stress that I am willing to step down, if need be."

There was a long pause, and Aaron wondered what Director Shepperd's answer would be. "I'm going to be counting on you to keep things discreet while at work. You cannot act like a couple while you're in the building. And if I hear about even the slightest bit of impropriety in the office, both of you are gone. Do I make myself clear?"

It was more generous than Aaron had been expecting, and he nodded a little before giving his answer. "I am more than certain that we can make that arrangement work. Thank you for being so understanding."

"It's the least I can do for you, Agent Hotchner, after everything that you've been through. Enjoy the rest of your vacation."

"We will. Thank you again," he said before hanging up, trying hard not to let a silly grin cover his face as he stood up and made his way down to the kitchen, eager to have breakfast with his family.


	15. Chapter 15

"Do we have to go home already, Dad?" Jack asked as he helped to put the bags into the trunk of the car.

"Unfortunately, yes. Erin and I both have jobs to get back to, and I'm certain that Aunt Jessica misses you."

"You're probably right," Jack replied as he heaved another bag up and into the trunk. A noise behind them caught Aaron's attention, and he turned slightly to see Erin standing on the porch, a relaxed smile on her face as she held her hat on to her head. "Miss Erin! Do we have everything packed up?"

"We do, sweetheart. There are just three more bags in here to bring out." His son nodded before running back into the house. She climbed down the steps of the porch and came up to him, wrapping her arm around his waist and resting her head on his chest. "If we were free, I don't think that I would ever want to leave here. This is the most peaceful I've felt in years."

He nodded against the top of her head, one hand splaying out on her back. "At least we know that we'll be returning to a somewhat receptive work environment. Tacit approval from the Director, and a technical analyst that seems Hell bent on causing enough mischief with him to ensure said approval continues, will do wonders to help ease the others into the idea of our relationship. But if any of them give you any grief, come to me. I will quash it as quickly as I can."

Erin nodded a little before nuzzling her cheek against the fabric of his shirt. "I will keep that in mind. It will be nice to have an ally, though, in Penelope. She really does seem like a dear woman."

"That she is," Aaron replied as he watched his son struggle to carry all three remaining bags over to them. "You can always make more than one trip, too, Jack."

"I could, but this was easier."

Aaron shook his head as he let go of Erin to place the last of their luggage in the back. "All right, family, let's head home."

"I like the sound of that," Jack said as he beamed up at him. "We would be a complete family, too, if Aunt Jessica was here. She'll have to come next time, right?"

"Of course, Jack. She's our family, and family is the most important thing in this world, I'm coming to find out. Once we're home, we'll have to have supper with my children, since I want you to get to know them as well."

"You have three kids, right, Miss Erin?"

"That's right," she replied as she slid into the passenger seat. "It might be a little awkward at first, since they're living with their father at the moment, but we're going to make it work."

Aaron reached out and squeezed Erin's hand tightly before starting the car up. That had been the one sore spot that they had avoided probing too much during their time together, since he was loathe to make her cry during a time that she should be happy. All he knew was that if Alan ever met him face to face, one of them would be hurting afterwards, and he didn't think it would be him.

As he drove, Aaron listened to Erin and Jack chatter on, until Erin was fast asleep. "Daddy? Do you think that in a few months I could start calling Miss Erin, well, do you think she would mind if I called her Mom? I mean, you guys love each other, right? So that means we're going to be a family forever, and it would only be right if I called her Mom."

"I think that would be really nice, Jack. You'll just have to ask her how she feels about that, okay?"

He met Jack's eye in the rearview mirror and watched his son nod a little. "All right, Dad. I'm going to read for a while."

Aaron nodded absently as he continued driving, wondering how far they would make it before he got too tired to continue on. The silence seemed to turn a bit oppressive, and he found himself anxious to turn the radio on and listen to something. He just didn't want to wake Erin up. Slowly, he turned up the volume and then started to search out a classical music station, hoping that the music would be soft enough so as not to disturb anyone else.

"I'm getting hungry, Dad. Could we stop soon?"

He glanced at Jack in the rearview mirror, nodding as soon as their eyes met. "As soon as we find the next hotel, we'll stop for the night. Okay?"

Jack grinned before burying his nose back in his book, and Aaron reached out and gently touched Erin's arm. She stirred a little and blinked her eyes open, arching her back a little as she made a few little sounds as she came to full wakefulness. "Aaron?"

"Do you want to see if there are any hotels nearby? Jack's getting hungry, and I know that I could do with stretching my legs for a little bit."

She nodded and picked his phone up out of the center console. As she tapped away at the screen, he turned the music down a little more so that she could concentrate. "All right, you're going to want to take exit 85, which should be in four miles. I've made reservations at the Marriott there, and it looks like there are a few restaurants close by it as well." She glanced back at Jack, and Aaron let out a tiny sigh of pleasure to hear them start conversing.

The short distance between them and the hotel seemed to fly by, and while he parked, Erin and Jack went inside to check in. Shouldering their bags, he joined them by the elevators, still listening to them chatter away. "Do you think we'll come back again soon?"

"I hope so. I'd forgotten how much I love being home, even if it's not really my home any longer. We just have to wait until you have a vacation from school before we head back here." Erin ruffled Jack's hair lightly as she smiled up into his face. "It will always be a part of me, and I'm glad that I was able to share that with you and your father."

The doors opened, and they got in the elevator, Erin pressing the button for the eighth floor. He chuckled a little, realizing that that was the highest floor the hotel had. "What if I had a fear of heights?"

"Well, that's why I'm here." They shared a tiny smile as the elevator came to a stop on their floor, and Jack rolled his eyes a little. Aaron's chuckle turned into a full on laugh as Jack grabbed hold of the lone bag in his hands and making a beeline down the hall. "I think that he is more than done with us being cute, Aaron. Maybe he'll smile again once he's eaten?"

"Hopefully. Plus, I think he has his mother's patience when it comes to long car rides."

"We could always take the train next time. That would be something different for him, and it's a good way to see the countryside in a different manner." They came to a stop next to Jack, and he shook his head a little as he unlocked the door and let them in. "All right, we're just going to drop the bags off, and then head out to supper. I was thinking Red Robin sounded good?"

"You read my mind, Miss Erin!" Jack tossed his bag on the bed, motioning for Aaron to hurry up and get ready. "Dad! Come on, we're hungry!"

"Yes, Jack," he replied as he dropped the bags to the floor and slung his arm around Erin's waist, guiding her out of the room, and following after Jack once more.


	16. Chapter 16

"So, when are you planning on switching things up?"

Both Erin and Aaron looked up at Jessica, seeing the mischievous smile that danced around her lips. "I'm sorry?"

"Well, it just seems like there's none of Erin's life in the apartment, and I'm certain that she misses some things about her place. Don't you think, now that you're back from your vacation, that you should spend some time at her home?"

He turned his head to look at Erin, noticing the bright blush that stained her cheeks as she stared at the tabletop. "Erin? Is this something that you want?"

She cleared her throat and glanced at her wrist. "Would you look at the time? We need to get to work, it wouldn't do to be late on our first day back after vacation."

Aaron knew that she was trying to deflect from the question he had posed, and he took it in stride, knowing that she would eventually open up to him, when she was ready to talk about the situation. Nodding a little, he gave Jessica a small smile before getting up and grabbing their jackets off the hooks, helping Erin into hers before shrugging his coat on. "Erin will be home around five thirty, I'll be with her, if we don't get sent on a case."

"Sounds good. If one of you texts me to let me know, I'll have supper ready for us."

Aaron nodded, and took hold of Erin's hand as they left the apartment. They were quiet the entire walk to the car, and he allowed her to take her time, not wanting to push her out of her comfort zone. "I would like to go home," she finally whispered before he started the car up. "I love you, I love being with you and Jack and Jessica, but I miss my house. I miss my kitchen. I miss my bathtub."

He reached out and squeezed her hand gently, hoping that she would look at him. It took a few minutes, but finally, she met his gaze, and he could see the tears that were swimming in the corners of her eyes. "I want you to be happy. If that means going to a new place, then that's what we'll do."

A tiny smile flitted across her lips as she dipped her chin a little. "Thank you," she whispered as she settled back into her seat. They were quiet the entire ride to work, though Erin did hum along to the music he chose, which lent a happy mood to the car, and he darted his eyes over at her frequently as they went, wanting to catch the smile on her lips.

On their way to the elevators, Aaron saw that Erin had to check herself a few times to keep from reaching for his hand. And once they were in the elevator, Aaron was glad to see that they were alone, which allowed him to take hold of her hand and thread their fingers together, holding on tightly as they rode up. It was only when they reached the sixth floor that Erin pulled away, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as she stepped away from him a little. "Who would see us this early?"

"I don't know, but we've not spoken with Director Sheppard yet, and I know that is someone were to go running to him, then we'd be in even deeper water than we might be right now. I love you, Aaron Hotchner, but I also need you in your job. Okay?"

He nodded as the doors slid open, and he stepped out first. "I have that file you asked for, Chief Strauss," he said for the benefit of the two other people that were milling about in the corridor, and he noticed from the corner of his eye that she had rolled her eyes a little before nodding. "When did you want it?"

"Seeing as how you also just returned from vacation, Agent Hotchner, I don't need it until this afternoon."

"Yes, Ma'am." Another eye roll from her, and he winked before turning on his heel and making his way into the bullpen. Glancing up at his office, he saw that Penelope was just peeking her head out of her office door, looking around. Once her gaze had landed on him, a warm smile lit up her face, and she scurried down the stairs and over to his side, bouncing on the balls of her feet, excitement thrumming through her body as she waited expectantly for him to say something. "Did you have a good weekend, Garcia?"

"No, because no one was giving me updates on what was going on! I need details, Boss Man!"

He drew in a deep breath, about to say something, when Dave came into the bullpen, coffee cup in hand. They exchanged looks, and Hotch shook his head a little before cupping Penelope's elbow and leading her back up the stairs and into his office. "Our vacation went well, and we're making plans to move into her home. There are certain thing she misses about the place, and I'd rather see her happy than regretful."

"I didn't realize that things were quite that serious between you two already! That's good to hear. She needs someone who makes her happy. But is Jack going to be okay with this change?"

"That's one of the things that we have to run by him, but he really likes Erin, and they bonded quite a bit while we were in New York. I don't think that I'd be ready to take this step if things had not gone so well, honestly."

Penelope grinned, and somehow, he could tell that the romantic heart that beat in her chest was going a mile a minute at his words. "I'm already calling dibs on being the wedding planner, just so you know."

He let out a little groan as he shook his head. "If we get married, it will be a lowkey affair. I don't think either of us want a big spectacle." Setting down his briefcase, he grabbed a random file off his desk and held it to his chest as he regarded her. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to confer with Chief Strauss on a few matters before we settle in and look at our next case."

"Yes, Hotch," she muttered before following him from the office. "Can you tell her to please give me a call? I have a few questions about some requisitions that I need to make, and will need to talk with her at her earliest convenience."

"As long as that's all you talk to her about, Garcia," he said lowly as he made his way down the stairs, giving Blake a small nod as he brushed past her and into the corridor. There was a small spring to his step as he made his way to Erin's office, giving her assistant a warm smile before he headed right into the inner sanctuary. Erin was behind her desk, reading glasses perched on the edge of her nose as she read through the report open in front of her.

"That didn't take you long, Aaron. Is everything okay?"

He took a seat in front of her, waiting for her to look up. When she did, he made certain to smile at her, watching her face melt into a soft look of joy. "I just wanted to see you in private before our day truly began. You scurried out before I could give you a proper kiss."

A soft chuckle slipped from her lips as she shook her head a little. "That's not going to happen in this office, Aaron. I have no idea who might be coming through that door next."

"Helen should be able to keep anyone out for one moment more." Erin pursed her lips together as she sighed deeply. He took that as his opening, and he stood and made his way around the desk, leaning in and pressing his lips to her forehead. "I never said it would be on the lips."

"True. Now go, brief your next case, and when you come home to me, you can kiss me properly." She looked up at him, a smile dancing on her lips, and he nodded, knowing that he had something wonderful to look forward to.


	17. Chapter 17

"Aaron, you need to get home, right now!"

He frowned deeply at Blake, shaking his head a little at her concerned look as he rose to his feet and made his way over to the window. "I'm in the middle of a case, Jessica. I can't just drop this and fly home."

"Erin needs you, and she's not about to call and let you know this. Can you use your tablet and check on the news back home?"

"Why?"

"You'll know when you see it."

Heading back over to the conference table, he picked up his tablet and opened Safari, quickly going to WJLA's website. There, right on the main page, was exactly what Jessica was talking about, and he felt the blood drain from his face as he fought to keep his calm reserve. Still, Blake knew that something was up, since she leaned over and rested her hand on his shoulder, giving him a concerned look. "I, I think I need to head home."

"That's what I'm telling you, Hotch. Erin is terrified, she came home as soon as the news broke, and I haven't been able to get her to leave your room. Jack is concerned, because he knows that something is wrong, but I can't tell him what."

"It will take me some time, Jessica. I have to hand the case over to Dave, officially, and then catch a flight home."

"All right. I'll let her know that you're on your way, though. Hopefully that will make her feel a little better."

"Okay." He hung up before saying goodbye, and turned his head to look at Blake. She was still looking at him, and he shook his head a little. "I can't tell you what's going on. I just need to get home."

She cocked her head to one side as she regarded him closely. "It has to do with Erin." He automatically went to shake his head, to deny their relationship, but he caught himself, wanting to know where Blake was going with her train of thought. "I saw you two in the park with Jack last weekend. I didn't say anything, because I assumed, correctly, that you two were keeping things private. Is everything all right with her?"

"One of her friends was murdered," he said lowly before realizing that it was probably a mistake to let her know that much. Blake was smart, she would put the pieces together and figure out what Erin's previous life had been. "After everything that she's been through, I just need to be by her side."

"Of course, I completely understand. Now, I'll take you to the airport, you call Garcia and have her arrange flights for you. She knows how to work the system, and will be able to get you home as soon as possible."

He gave her a grateful look as he nodded, slipping his tablet into his briefcase before standing. "And will you have Dave bring my bags home? There's not time to head back to the hotel and get them."

"Of course," she replied. The concerned look never left her face as they walked out of the briefing room. Dave glanced up from his conversation with chief of police, frowning as he excused himself and made his way over to them.

"Did Garcia call you about a break in the case and then forget to call the rest of us?" he asked, his eyes narrowing when he saw the briefcase in Aaron's hands.

"No, Jessica called, and there's an emergency back home, one which I need to attend to. Blake is taking me to the airport, so I need you to take over the case. I know that you can lead the team well, because I can't be worried about what's happening here and at home."

"All right, yes, go. Be with Jessica. And if you need to talk, call me."

"Will do."

They nodded to each other before he and Blake continued out of the precinct and out to the car. As she drove, he called Garcia, hoping that Jessica had already called and she had been making arrangements for him. "Boss Man! Are you on your way to an airport yet?"

"I am."

"Great! Your flight home leaves as soon as you get to the airfield you arrived at. I managed to find a private jet who was flying from Abilene to DC, and I'll be at the airfield to pick you up."

She conveniently left out how she managed to get the owner of the jet to allow him as a passenger, but knew that he could ask her about that later. "Thank you, for knowing that this would happen."

"You love her, and when Jessica called, I knew that I would move Heaven and Earth to get you home. Give her an extra hug from me when you reach her side."

"Will do." He hung up and looked at Blake. "We're headed to the private airfield. Garcia did her thing, and I'm leaving as soon as I get there."

"Good." They were quiet the rest of the drive over, and Aaron found himself staring out the window, wishing they could go faster. Erin would be devastated, and perhaps a bit terrified that her secret past would be coming to light with the scrutiny this death might bring. "We're here. And while I know that Erin and I are at odds still, but no one should have a friend murdered. You can't easily give her my regards, but…"

"I'll let her know, somehow," he said as he got out of the vehicle and jogged over to the man waiting for him by the plane. "I'm Aaron Hotchner. Thank you so much for agreeing to fly me home."

"Your Ms Garcia is quite persuasive," the man said as he shook Aaron's outstretched hand. "I'm Calvin Mullins, and I'm just glad that she works for you all, and not some rogue orginisation."

"You and me, both," he replied as he followed the man onto the plane. He took a seat towards the back and as the pilot taxied down the runway, sent a quick text to Erin, letting her know that he was on his way home to her. Then he turned it to airplane mode and began to read _A Very British Murder_. Erin had suggested it to him, as a way to look at crime a little differently, and he found himself quite engrossed by the author's voice. The only time he lifted his head from the screen was when the wheels of the jet touched the tarmac.

As they deplaned, he gave a small wave to Calvin before hurrying towards Penelope. Aaron was shocked when she pulled him into a tight hug, but it felt right to allow her to comfort him like this. "Erin is beside herself. She didn't want you to come home, she swore that everything was going to be fine. But Jess and I both think that you need to coax the truth out of her. You can see it in her eyes, she's more frightened of this than anything. But I have to ask. Did you know that she was friends with a high-class hooker?"

He let out a deep breath as he slid into the passenger seat of her car. He knew that this would be a huge breach of Erin's trust, but he also knew that if he didn't reply, Penelope would just go digging to find the answers she wanted. "They shared the same work for a time, before Erin and I became involved," he finally said, his voice low and tight.

"Oh." There was only a slight pause before Penelope started speaking once more. "And she wouldn't want us to know, because she thinks we'd judge her, like I just judged her friend. Oh, god, Aaron, do not tell her that I said it that way! I do care about her, more than I thought I would, but some prejudices are deeply buried."

"I get it, Garcia, I really do. It took Jess a few days to get past her hangups about Erin's former work, too. Dave did a number on her heart, and we both know that while there's no excuse for her choosing that, she was an adult who did make that choice based on what she was feeling in a particularly low moment."

Penelope nodded before reaching out and patting his arm gently. "I'll do whatever she needs, Hotch. Just tell her to reach out to me."

He nodded and pulled out his phone, seeing that the battery was quite low. Wordlessly, Penelope handed over her spare cellphone, and he tapped out a message to Erin, letting her know that they were close to home. He looked out the window to see that his words were true, and he shook his head a little before looking over at Penelope. "How did you know I'd moved?"

"Jessica told me when I told her I was picking you up."

"I see," he murmured as she pulled into the driveway. "I'll call you as soon as I know more."

"I know." They shared a small smile before he got out and made the short walk up to the front door. Jessica opened the door, a grim smile on her face. "Is she…?"

"In your bedroom."

He gave her a tight nod before making his way up to their bedroom. Knocking softly, he entered, seeing that Erin was curled up on her side in the bed, her face buried in a pillow. He could tell that she was still sobbing, and he toed off his loafers before joining her in the bed, curling his body around hers as he rested his arm around her waist. "I'm here now, Erin."

All he received in acknowledgment was a soft nod before she turned over and burrowed in close to him. "All the press can focus on is her profession. They don't see her for who she was. And if it comes out that I'm in the same league as her? Everything will fall down upon our heads, and Jack will be at the brunt of it. I have brought disaster to you, and I need to leave before my heart gets further attached."

"You can't get further attached than love, Erin," he whispered before kissing her forehead lightly. "And if that time comes, we'll explain to Jack what he needs to know. I love you, and nothing that happens next will shake that." She gave a jerky nod before pressing her lips to his chest and starting to sob once more, allowing him to run his fingers through her hair as he comforted her.


	18. Chapter 18

He was in the middle of finishing up the report of their last case when he heard a soft knocking at his door. Looking up, he saw Penelope standing there, looking very grim, and he beckoned her in with a small hand wave. She scurried in, closing the door behind her before locking it and hurrying over to his side. "What's wrong, Garcia?"

"There's been another murder. I haven't told Erin yet, I figured that was your place, but it's going to hit the news soon."

Aaron set his pen aside, closing the file and leaning back in his chair as he focused his gaze on her. "How do you know that these two things are related?" he finally asked, feeling a heavy stone weigh down his stomach.

"I knew that there could be something that might come back to hurt Erin in the long run, if we didn't have all our bases covered. So, I did what I do best, dug into Andrea O'Dwyer's past, discovered what escort service she had been a part of, and managed to track down the names of all the men and women who are part of the same consortium. From there, I made a database of all things that they had in common. There's not as much as I would like, because whoever runs this ring is particularly good at covering their tracks, but I have enough to keep tabs on all current members, and have a script running that alerts me anytime the police become involved with one of them."

"And you did this all in the space of two weeks?"

"When you want to protect your boss's lover, your fingers move a little faster, your brain works a little quicker. There was no way I was about to allow something to happen to another woman you love." The vehemence in her voice immediately told him that she had probably taken the same precautions with Beth, and he had never known, since nothing untoward had ever happened. "And she's my boss, too, in a way, so that makes this even more personal. I will not fail this time, Sir. I promise you."

He nodded a little as he relaxed in his seat, some of the tightness leaving his throat. "So, what can you tell me?"

"The police are being very cagey about this murder, since from everything that I could gather, she was murdered in the same manner as our first victim. I know, we won't be able to label this a serial killer until there's one more death, but…I'm freaked out on Erin's behalf. If this is as serious as I think it is, she could be in the crosshairs. And I wouldn't even know it, since I don't know of any other previous members of the consortium besides her."

He shook his head as he flopped back against his chair. "She has nightmares every night, Garcia. I comfort her every time she wakes up, but I don't know how much longer I can watch her cry so piteously in my arms before I hunt down the bastard who did this with my bare hands."

"Then, we hunt him together, and find him before there's a third murder. I can request any and all information with regards to these two cases, and I can pull a few strings, call in a few favors, with my friend in this precinct. Like I said, I will not allow evil to touch our family again, not if I can help it. Now, while I try to gather as much information as I can about our unsub, you are going to break the news to Erin."

Aaron nodded as they stood at the same time. He squeezed Penelope's shoulder softly before following her from the room. Everyone seemed to be hard at work as he went down the stairs, though Blake did glance up at him as he walked past her desk. He shook his head a little before heading out the doors and turning down the corridor to head to Erin's office. From the corner of his eye, he saw the woman get up and head towards Penelope's office, and somehow knew that they would soon be conferring.

Letting out a long, slow, breath, he went inside, not paying any attention to Helen as he slipped into Erin's office without a word. She was on the phone with someone, so he took a seat in front of her desk and waited for her to finish, trying to keep from looking agitated the longer her conversation took.

"All right, Director, I'll let Cooper's team know that they're heading out ASAP. Thank you." She hung up and placed one finger over her lips as she dialed Sam. He nodded and listened to her tell him that they were heading out on a case and that Penelope would be sending them their information on their flight to Idaho. "Aaron, why are you here?"

"There's been another murder, darling." The endearment just slipped from his lips, and Aaron was glad that they were in her office, where no one could possibly walk in and overhear him. He watched her spine stiffen so quickly that she was almost quivering from the force of it. "Penelope has been quite busy behind our backs, keeping tabs on your friends. She was notified of the murder earlier today, and while it hasn't hit media outlets yet, it is certain to, soon."

"Was, was it like the other murder?" she asked, her voice shaky.

Aaron knew that she would put things together just as quickly as Penelope had, but he also knew that he couldn't keep the truth from her. "Yes. And before you say it, yes. That is why Penelope is holed up in her office right now. She's trying to find the unsub before there is another murder."

There was a long pause as Erin seemed to shrink into herself. "What if I become the next target?" she whispered, folding her hands together over her stomach as she looked at her desktop. "If there's been another murder in my circle of friends, that means I have to be considered a potential victim. I don't want to die."

He pursed his lips as the first tears began to track down her cheeks, and wished that they were anywhere else but in her office, so that he could comfort her without worry of someone walking in on them. "I won't let you be hurt by this unsub, and neither will Penelope. Or Blake."

The mention of the other woman's name had Erin looking up in surprise, her tear-filled eyes searching his for any indication that he might be lying to her. "Alex hates me for what happened with the Amerithrax case, and well she should. I sold her out for my benefit, and her hostility is more than understandable. Don't give me false hope."

"I'm not. She doesn't know your connection to these women, not yet, but I know that she is concerned."

"She's going to think so little of me when she finds out what I've done."

"Somehow, I don't think that that's true, and I think that you know that. There is bad blood between you, yes, but I think that you both care for each other." Erin shrugged a little as she closed her eyes and hunched over, her shoulders shaking. "Erin…"

"I, I just need some time, Aaron. Hold me? Even if only for a moment?" He nodded, even though she wouldn't see it, and got up from his chair. Moving to her side, he knelt down and wrapped his arm around her upper body, pulling her close to his chest as he pressed his lips against her head, offering her what little comfort he could in that moment, knowing that a more intimate moment would happen once they were home.


	19. Chapter 19

Aaron knew the moment that Penelope came into his office that the time he had been hoping would never come had indeed happened. "I had hoped that we had more time. Alex and I have been chasing down every lead that we could think of these last two weeks, but they never bore any fruit. There's been another murder. A James Higgins, which would normally not fit into our budding profile of the unsub, but he was a part of Erin's circle. Captain Flynn has already asked us in, since he knew that I've been working on this, too."

"How?"

"I asked him for the files. We have a good working relationship, and he didn't mind me lending a hand here. You need to tell Erin that, well, that we'll need her expertise in this case. I'm sorry, I never wanted to have this happen, but we need her, and this is going to destroy her."

"It already has been, her nightmares never subside, and she looks over her shoulder with every sudden noise when we're out. Gather the team, and start the briefing while I prepare Erin."

She nodded, giving him a defeated look as she turned on her heel and made her way from the office. Taking a deep breath, he pushed away from his desk and stood, slowly heading out into the bullpen. Alex and JJ passed him on the stairs, and when Alex reached out to touch his arm kindly, as if she knew what was coming, JJ gave them a distrustful look. Aaron shook his head as he continued on his way, heading out into the corridor and turning towards Erin's office.

Helen was tapping away at her keyboard when he entered, and she looked up with a smile that instantly faltered when she saw his face. "Has something happened, sir?" she asked quietly, glancing towards Erin's door.

"Yes, and it is not going to be pretty. Erin's going to need your support and help when the fallout of this begins. Hold all her calls for the time being, and please ignore her face, as I'm certain there will be tears there, and she won't want you to make a fuss over her." Helen nodded tightly, her eyes never leaving his frame as he slipped into Erin's inner sanctum. "I'm sorry," were the first words out of his mouth as he shut the door.

"For what?" Erin asked as she set aside her pen and looked up at him over her reading glasses. "Aaron?"

"There's been another murder, and since this makes three, we're being called in to consult with the DC Metro police. And Penelope and I both feel that you should come in and consult with the team, since your association with the victims might allow us to get a better insight into the unsub."

He heard the sharp intake of breath that signaled she had realized that he was asking her to reveal some very intimate information about herself to a group of people who didn't particularly care for her, save Penelope and himself. "I, I don't know if I can do that, Aaron. They're going to know too much about me if that happens."

She shook her head slowly, the first tears starting to pool in her eyes as she got up and moved over to her window, staring out it as she wrapped her arms around her waist. "I wouldn't ask this of you if it wasn't important. There are many lives at stake, including your own, and I want everyone to have the same information." Aaron wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close as he rested his chin atop her head.

"Can't you just say that you have an inside source who wishes to remain anonymous?" she whispered.

"Not if I need to have a protection detail set up for you. There has to be a valid reason for that, which you know full well. I just, I don't want to lose you the same way I lost Haley."

Erin turned in his arms, looking up into his eyes. "I know," she cried before stepping closer and resting her forehead against his chest. He could tell that she was trying to control her tears, since she didn't want to appear weak in front of anyone, so he stroked her back in soothing circles as they both started to breathe in sync. "All right. I'll do. As long as you promise that you'll keep your eyes on me the entire time."

"That is a promise that won't be hard to keep, darling." He bent his head so that he could kiss the crown of hers, and she shuddered a little before embracing him a little tighter. "All right, let's head in there."

"Yes, Aaron." She stepped away from him and straightened her shoulders, carefully brushing her fingers beneath her eyes to removed the tears and not smudge her makeup. "Do I look all right?"

"Yes."

She nodded and he watched as the flat, disinterested, mask she usually wore when dealing with subordinates slip over her features. "Let's get this over with then."

He inclined his head a little before gesturing towards the door. She swallowed thickly and moved towards it, allowing him to bring up the rear. Helen gave him a soft look, and he gave a small nod as they continued out into the corridor. When they reached the bullpen, he took the lead and guided her up to the conference room. Penelope and Blake were taking the lead in the briefing, and he noticed that they both looked in their direction as the door opened.

"And Hotch here will have some words to say now," Penelope said softly as she beckoned Erin over to her side. The move did not go unnoticed by the rest of the team, and he felt a small frisson of unease travel down his spine at the almost hostile looks that everyone but Blake and Penelope wore. "Boss Man?"

"As I'm certain you're aware, Garcia, Blake, and I have been working on this case from the first murder, because there was a very personal connection to our team. Chief Strauss is acquaintances with the victims, and she will be able to assist us with capturing the unsub, hopefully before there are any more deaths."

JJ pinned him with her eyes, as if she instinctively knew there was a connection between Erin and himself, and then spoke. "Just how does Chief Strauss know these people? They are in a clearly different social circle than her."

He was about to respond with a facile lie when Erin held up one hand, stopping him. "I am well acquainted with the group, since I was a member of it." JJ let out a shocked gasp, while Dave leered at Erin. Reid seemed a bit disturbed, while Morgan just had a flat look on his face.

"You were a hooker? That is too rich, Erin. Did breaking up with me really cause you that much trauma?"

Aaron bristled at the ugly tone in Dave's voice, and he had to remind himself that they were at work, otherwise he would have knocked the man flat onto his back then and there. "I made a very poor choice, David, one that my current partner was gracious enough to see that I escape."

"This is actually kind of perfect, Hotch. Since Chief Strauss is already familiar with the group, we just need to use her to bait the unsub into showing himself. This really couldn't have happened more perfectly if we had tried to recruit a member of the consortium! And you will do it, won't you, Ma'am? In order to bring your friends' murderer to justice?"

He hated how manipulative JJ sounded in that moment, and he glanced over to see that both Penelope and Blake were touching Erin's shoulders, mixed looks of anger and outrage on their faces. "You can't use a woman as bait," Penelope hissed before looking at him. "Tell her, Hotch! We can't allow that!"

"We can, and we will," Erin replied softly as she looked down at the floor. "There's nothing more honorable than protecting your friends and coworkers. Right?"

"Exactly," Dave responded, a lecherous grin on his lips. "At least you know that much."

Her head shot up, a small glare in her eyes as she focused in on his best friend. "I also know how to be faithful. I've earned every scar that I have, and I wear them with pride. Now, isn't it time that we set about making this plan so that we can put it into motion?"

With one uptick of her eyebrow, she shrugged off Penelope and Blake's hands and took a seat at the table, folding her hands together as she coolly regarded the rest of the team. Hotch reluctantly nodded as he took a seat next to Dave, watching Blake and Penelope flank Erin once more as they got down to the business at hand, his heart pounding in his chest as he thought about the implications of this move.


	20. Chapter 20

Aaron wasn't surprised that Erin refused to speak to him the rest of the day. Every text he sent went unread, every call sent to voicemail, and he knew that the car ride home would be a long, silent, one. Still, he managed to soldier on through the day, knowing that at least he was going home with her, where they could talk this out without having to worry about anyone they worked with overhearing them.

At five, he packed up his briefcase and made his way out of the bullpen, looking up at Penelope's office. From the keypad outside it, he could tell that she was already gone for the day, too, as was Blake, and that bothered him a little, since he had thought that they would be working on this case until late in the evening, since they had both protested using Erin as bait.

Shaking his head a little, he made his way down to his car, knowing that Erin would be there already, if she wasn't running a little bit behind. As the doors to the elevator closed, he pulled out his phone, checking for a message that wasn't there, and his shoulders dropped a little in disappointment. Taking a deep breath, he waited for the elevator to reach the lowest level, trying not to dwell on the fact that the woman he loved was willing to put her life on the line when everything she said to him in private was that she didn't want to die. He didn't understand this sudden about face, and he knew they needed to talk things out.

As he started towards his car, he pulled out his phone and called Jessica. "Hey, I need you to arrange something for me. When Erin and I get home, I have the feeling that we are going to be having a loud disagreement, and I don't want Jack to be a part of it. Would you make his food now, and tell him he can eat in his room and play video games?"

"Aaron? What happened?"

"Nothing I want to talk about over the phone," he said shortly. "I promise, I'll tell you more when we're home, just, please."

"Of course. I'll see you both soon."

He nodded before hanging up, slipping the phone into his pocket before finishing his walk to the car. Erin was in the passenger seat, on her phone, when he arrived, and he slipped behind the wheel. "I know you don't understand, Aaron."

"You're right, I don't," he replied as he started the car and backed out of his spot, heading out of the garage and into traffic. "I thought that you didn't want to die."

"I don't, Aaron. But if I can stop the unsub before he hurts another person, I have to do whatever I can. You would do the same thing."

The terrible thing was he knew that it was true, he would put his life on the line to protect innocent people from harm. Letting out a long breath, he slipped his hand off the wheel and reached for hers, only relaxing a little when she clasped it tightly. They held hands the entire way home, and once he was in the garage, he turned to look at her, certain that sorrow was visible on his face. "Let's head inside."

"Okay," she murmured, letting go and getting out. He watched her head inside before heading in himself. Just as he was stepping out of his shoes, the doorbell rang, and he listened to Jessica answer it. Erin was standing in front of the oven, stirring whatever Jessica had there, a small smile on her face. "Comfort food, and she didn't even know I'd need comforting tonight," she said as she turned to look at Aaron. He nodded and opened up his arms, watching her step towards him before closing his arms around her and holding her tightly.

"Thanks for letting us in, Jess." They both turned to see Penelope and Blake coming into the kitchen with Jessica, and he frowned a little, wondering what they were doing here. "I think that we all need to talk, Erin."

Erin buried her face into his chest and he rubbed her back a little as he regarded them. "We were just about to sit down and eat." Penelope shrugged before looking expectantly at Jessica. She pointed to the cupboard, and the younger woman nodded as he made her way over and pulled out five bowls, setting the table quickly. "That wasn't an invitation."

"Tough, I often extend my own invitations, Hotch," she shot back as she began to open the opposite cupboard, taking out glasses and handing them to Blake, who set them on the table while Jessica took out the utensils. "Erin, please, we care about you."

Finally, Erin pulled away from him and took a seat in her normal spot. "The stew smells delicious, Jessica. What recipe did you use?"

Aaron smirked a little as he picked up the pot with a pair of oven mitts, setting it on the trivet in the middle of the table before taking his own seat next to his partner. Jessica frowned a little as she ladled stew into all their bowls before taking her own seat. "I found it on Pinterest," she hesitantly replied, clearly knowing that she was in the middle of something, and trying to figure out what she was not getting.

"There really are a lot of good recipes there. I love to find desserts on there. Alex, how is James doing? Is he adjusting to life here in the States well?"

Blake blinked a few times, as if she wasn't expecting the banal pleasantry that dripped from Erin's lips. "So far, it seems like. It's nice having him home, though he keeps telling me that I should go teach at Harvard, since that would keep me close to home, rather than travelling all around the country so often. But quit deflecting, Erin. You know why we're here."

Erin glanced at Aaron, arching an eyebrow before tucking into her soup. "We were planning on talking about this alone. Since it really will affect us, as a family, the most."

"Oh, family. I didn't realise the two of you were that close," Penelope muttered. "But seriously, Boss Man, we are not allowing her to just sacrifice her life like this. We just won't!"

"She has a name and brain and a voice, Penelope. Just because you've been so wonderful to me, that doesn't give you the right to dictate what I do with my life! My friends are dying out there, and if I can do something, anything, to prevent just one more person losing their life to a madman? I'll do it!"

Tears were coursing down Erin's face as her voice cracked on the last word. Aaron reached out and covered her knee with his hand, looking at Penelope and Blake. They seemed unmoved by Erin's emotional display, which surprised him, but then he heard Jessica start to speak. "I've never judged you for your choices, since I know that we all make choices based on feelings, beliefs, and all our life experiences up to that point in our lives. And as I've gotten to know you over the last few months, I've come to think of you as another sister. And I know that Jack has come to regard you as a mother figure in his life. I know you know how Haley died. Do you really think that Jack could stand to lose you, too?"

Her words were soft, full of love, and Aaron felt his partner stiffen slightly beneath his hand. "Don't you think my heart knows that, Jess?" Erin reached across the table, taking Jessica's hand in her own. "But my friends, some of them have children of their own, and I cannot let their lives be put at risk. Not when I have the knowledge that might stop this in its tracks. Please, tell me that you understand. I love you, and Jack, and Aaron so much, but our needs as a family must weigh less in my mind than the needs of the many. Law and order must be restored, as quickly as possible. And I know how to take precautions, believe me."

They all sighed, as if they knew that there was no changing Erin's mind at this point, and Aaron looked to her, meeting her gaze steadily. "I love you, Erin, but you know my feelings on this. Is there no way I can change your mind?"

"No. Just keep me safe, and don't let anything bad happen to me."

"I'll do my best, I promise," he replied before he took her hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly and giving her a small nod, hoping that he could keep that promise.


	21. Chapter 21

"All right, as best as I've been able to figure out, this is the time and day that the unsub prefers to stalk his next victim. The agency has been instructed that no matter who he asks for, you are going to be the one waiting for him. Aaron, Alex, and I are going to be occupying the room next door, monitoring everything through the camera that is in your pendant. Do not take it off."

"I know, Penelope. We've been over this part a dozen times."

"And I'd go over it a dozen more, if we had the time. I need to do this to ensure that you are okay. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you because I didn't do my job."

Aaron watched as Penelope reached out and caressed Erin's shoulder. "And you have the earwig in place, yes?" he asked as he stepped closer to them, reaching out for Erin's hand.

"I do, yes. See?" Erin pushed her hair back and turned her ear towards him, showing him that it was in place. "I know that you two are both so worried about me, and I am grateful for that care. I just need to have this over and done with. Afterwards, we'll unwind together, all of us, at the house. Jessica has promised to take care of me."

He nodded before leaning in and kissing her softly. "We still have a few hours before your meeting with the unsub."

"And in that time, I need to get ready for him. Remember how you saw me the first time?"

He nodded a little, embarrassment causing his cheeks to redden as he glanced at Penelope. She was looking at the floor, a whimsical smile on her lips even as she deeply blushed. "Your makeup was flawless. Is that why I had to bring in such a heavy bag?"

"Perhaps." She tried to smile at him, but it turned into more of a grimace as she stepped closer to him, her arms closing around his waist as she rested her cheek on his chest. "Will you call Alex over here, too? She shouldn't be holed up in that room alone."

Penelope nodded and scurried from the room as Aaron led Erin over to the low couch that was in the corner of the room, pulling her down with him as he sat. "Do you want us to help you get ready?"

"No, I'll put the finishing touches on myself, but I want you all to keep me company. Because I don't know if I can do this. I'm terrified, Aaron."

"I know, and I can't say that I'm not, either. I know that we're right here, that we'll be able to stop anything before you're harmed, but I'm still so worried about what might happen to you." He pressed his lips against her forehead, listening to her sigh a little as she snuggled in closer to him. "I think we both have some paid leave saved up. When this is all over and done, we're heading home to Manderley."

"You've taken him to Manderley, Erin?" Alex asked as she and Penelope joined them. Alex sat on Erin's other side, while Penelope perched on the edge of the bed and looked at them. He could see that she was trying to hold on to her emotions, but that grip was fast becoming tenuous. "Manderley is beautiful, Penelope, especially in the spring."

"When were you there?" he asked, trying not to sound jealous.

"Erin and I used to be close friends. And friends visit each other's homes. Manderley is a haven for the weary heart." He watched as they clasped hands, and Alex looked away from them, as if she had revealed too large a piece of her soul.

"It truly is," he replied quietly, smiling a little. "Are you certain that you don't want anything to eat, Erin? There's still time for me to get something for us all."

"If I tried to eat anything, I'd end up throwing it all up from nerves. What I really want, I can't have, so if any of you want to go down to the bar and do a shot of Drambuie in my honor, I wouldn't mind." She let out a watery laugh as she clutched at both hands she was holding.

"I wish that we could, Erin, but we're on the clock, that might be frowned on by the higher ups." Penelope winked at him before a more serious cast slipped over her face. "All right, now that the four of us are together, I want to go through the plan one more time. JJ and Rossi are going to be in the lobby, watching for potential unsubs, and letting us know when they think they see him. You're going to have the camera necklace to record everything that happens in the room, along with the earwig for Hotch to give you encouragement or direction. Alex and I will be in constant contact with Reid and Morgan, who are in the room on the other side of yours. If anything even starts to happen, we can break down the door in thirty seconds or less. And then, we're going to your home and Jessica is going to feed us while we veg out in front of the tv. I already cleared it with the Director so that our team has tomorrow off to rest and recuperate."

"I don't know what the team would do without you, Penelope," Erin whispered as she rested her head on Aaron's shoulder. "Any of you, really. I'm so blessed to have you in my life."

"You're going to make me cry, Erin," Penelope retorted, blinking rapidly.

"That's not my intent, Penny. Oh, Aaron, I hate to ask this of you and Penelope, but I need to do this with just Alex. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Erin," he replied as he squeezed her hand, giving her another kiss before standing. "All right, Garcia, we'll get the command center in our room more organized while we wait for Blake to join us."

She nodded, frowning a little before bouncing up from the bed and going over to Erin, hugging her tightly before joining him at the door. As they went next door, Penelope glared at him, as if she couldn't believe that he had left so easily. "What the hell, Hotch? You should have fought to stay with her! What if, what if…"

"Nothing will happen to her, we are going to keep her safe, and her friendship with Alex is going to be stronger for this." He went over to the laptops that Penelope had set up and took a seat in front of his, making certain that everything was in place for their op. "I can't lose her."

"We won't, I promise." She came over to his side and sat, leaning back in her chair to stare at the ceiling. "I would be in that room right now, I hope you know. I would put JJ in that room before any of us, though. She can kick ass without breaking a sweat. Erin? She's not accustomed to being out in the field. She's so good at her job, but it's not what you all do on a daily basis. Why do I feel like we're sending a lamb into the lion's den?"

"Because we are. And she's my lamb." Penelope made a soft cooing sound and he turned his head, lifting his eyebrows a little. "I am unapologetically in love with her."

"I'm glad that you've found each other. You both deserve some happiness with this life we lead. And she's beautiful, you know. Truly."

"I know that full well." He leaned back once more, staring at the ceiling as he pictured Alex helping Erin get ready for what she was about to endure. And a selfish part of him wished that he could be there instead, even though he knew that this was the better option in the long run. Neither of them could afford to become distracted at this critical juncture, and he wanted to remain focused just in case she needed his help in the near future.


	22. Chapter 22

"How long do you think this will take?" Penelope asked about three minutes after Rossi had messaged them to say that he and JJ had possibly set eyes upon the unsub and that he was heading up towards them.

"He has to ride the elevator, and we're close to the top floor, so it will take a few minutes for him to arrive. Then, I'm assuming, there will be some business to take care of before we can swoop in and take him down. I'm just as anxious as you are, though, to get this over with." Aaron let out a frustrated breath as he glanced at his laptop once more. Erin was sitting on the sofa, a pensive look on her face. He wanted nothing more than to rush into that room and hold her, but he knew that would ruin everything. Still, he couldn't resist making contact with her. "Erin, we think that he's on his way up to you, so you might want to get prepared."

He watched her nod, her fingers caressing the pendant around her neck as she smiled at the mirror that was reflecting her image to them. "Thank you, Aaron," she said as she stood, making her way closer to the mirror so that he could see her a little better. "I'm still nervous."

"I am, too, but I know that you have this." A fleeting, bright, smile slipped across her lips, and then she was heading back to the sofa and taking a seat once more. "When we get home, after everyone else has gone home, I am going to love on you."

"I was hoping that you would say that. It will be you I'm thinking about as the unsub touches me. Because we know that he probably will. But it's you I love, and you I'm faithful to. Promise me you'll remember that?"

"Of course, Erin." She tapped her chest at his response, and he watched her close her eyes as she reclined back against the sofa, her fingers running along the neckline of her negligee as they both fell quiet once more. Turning his head, he saw that Alex and Penelope were deep in conversation, and he wondered when this close friendship had sprung up between them. It was still good to know that the parts of his team were starting to move together, especially after the rocky start they had had.

A quiet noise must have caught Erin's attention, since he noticed from the corner of his eye that she suddenly sat up a little straighter before standing and smoothing her clothing in the mirror. Though he knew that she couldn't see it, he smiled at her before looking towards the other two. "Penelope, Alex, it's time."

They immediately rushed over to his side, and he watched as Penelope took a seat next to him, her eyes focused on her computer screen as she settled her headset in place. "All right, Erin, I'm here, too. We are going to get this over with as quickly as possible."

Alex hovered around their backs, and he could feel the anxiety roll off her in waves as she paced. "This won't help anyone, Alex," he murmured as he watched Erin open the door. Her necklace picked up the low greeting she gave the man, and he shuddered to hear the way her false name slithered from her lips. "She's made contact."

"I see that, Aaron," Alex said as she curled her hand around his shoulder, her fingers biting into his flesh as they watched the screen with dread and anticipation. "What are we waiting for, though? Now that they've made contact, you should burst in there and arrest him!"

"For what? He hasn't even paid yet, there's been no crime committed," he responded hotly, trying to keep his attention on Erin and the unsub. He was taller than Erin, but shorter than himself, but he also gave off an aura of strength that perturbed Aaron. Penelope was murmuring something to Erin, he saw the almost imperceptible nod of her head as she continued to exchange pleasantries with the unsub.

Aaron watched as the man produced a thick envelope, presumably containing money, and Erin indicated for him to set it on the dresser. The man turned from her view, and they watched the scene shift slightly as she took a seat on the bed. Aaron began to feel slightly more jumpy as the man took longer than necessary to turn around and face Erin once more, and his hand instinctively reaching for his gun. Alex twitched behind him, and he knew that she had done the same.

Time seemed to slow down to a crawl as the man finally turned, a wicked looking knife in his hand. Penelope pressed the panic button that would alert Morgan and Reid. Still, Aaron felt glued to his seat, unable to tear his eyes away from the laptop screen as the man walked slowly and with purpose towards Erin. He could hear her labored breathing in his ear, and could picture the terrified look on her face, though he couldn't see it.

"Hotch, you have to go!" Penelope shouted in his ear, pushing him from his chair. Shaking his head a little, he stumbled after Alex, finally finding his feet as they rushed to the room next door. Morgan and Reid were already there, Morgan's leg lifted to break the door down. He nodded at the man, and watched him easily kick it in.

Erin's high pitched scream cut the air as they ran inside, and Aaron wanted to rush over to her side. Alex and Reid held him back, however, as Derek rushed the unsub, taking him down and easily placing him in cuffs. Once the man was subdued, Aaron wrenched himself from the hands holding him back, running over to the bed and kneeling down, taking Erin's hand in his own as he stared at the knife sticking out of her abdomen.

"This wasn't supposed to happen, Erin," he whispered as he squeezed her hand tightly.

"It's just a single stab wound, Aaron. You were able to stop him before he pulled the blade out. That's what's most important here. And I know that you'll get me to the hospital in time. Because you love me, and always do your best to protect me."

Erin smiled lovingly at him before wincing sharply. "Erin? What is it?"

"I feel oogy, I think I'm going to pass out." Before he could say another word to her, Erin's eyes rolled back in her head as she fainted.

"Has anyone called 911 yet?" he asked roughly, starting to staunch the flow of blood from her wound, taking care not to jostle the knife, knowing he could do more damage if he did.

"I did that while you were taking the unsub down," Penelope cried out as she rushed into the room, dropping to her knees next to him, her hand hovering above Erin's body. "Gut wounds are the worst, Hotch, they hurt so much."

Glancing over, he saw that her other hand was pressing against the place where she'd been shot. "I know, Penelope," he whispered, thinking of his own scars. "We need to cover her with a blanket and keep her warm. The knife is stopping the majority of the blood loss, but until they get here, we need to do everything we can to keep her as stabilized as possible."

"I've got it, Hotch," Alex said as she delicately settled an extra blanket over her before heading over to the sofa and sinking down onto it. "Derek, Spencer, take him out of here. Now."

Aaron heard the scuffling and shuffling of feet leaving the room, and he relaxed a little knowing that the immediate threat was now past. "When we get to the hospital, I would like one of you to call Jessica and tell her what's happened. I need my family around me as we help Erin to heal."

"I'll do that, Hotch," Alex said, and he nodded, praying that the paramedics arrived soon.


	23. Chapter 23

Aaron felt like he was going to wear a path in the floor of the surgical waiting room. Erin had been in surgery for two hours already, and he was worried out of his mind, especially since Jessica hadn't arrived yet. Penelope glanced up at him every so often, her fingers never stopping as she knitted on a project she had pulled from her purse the moment they had been shown to the waiting room.

"We'll get news soon, Hotch. Remember, these things take time, especially if you want the surgery done correctly. We all want Erin to recover well, right?"

"I know that you're right, Penelope, but I'm still worried about her." He paused by the table in the room and looked over Alex's shoulder, seeing that she was emailing someone. Aaron turned his gaze away, not wanting to invade her privacy more than he just had, but she still gave him a fleeting smile. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay, you need something to keep your mind off the worry you feel. And Jessica and Jack will arrive soon, and you need to keep yourself calm and strong for her, and them." She patted the table, beckoning him to take a seat next to her. He nodded and sank down, a weary sigh slipping from his lips. "I'm really hoping that when this is all over, Erin and I can work towards becoming friends once more. I realized, when we were so close to losing her, that I am not ready to allow a second chance slip through my fingers."

She gave him a small, pained, smile before bending her head over her phone once more, tapping away at the keyboard as she continued to work at her email. He leaned back in the chair and stared up at the ceiling, praying that Erin would pull through her surgery all right. And he wanted nothing more than for Jack and Jessica to arrive, as he wanted to hold onto his son, and trick himself into believing that everything was all right.

The minutes crawled by agonizingly slowly, but then he heard the wonderful sound of Jack and Jessica talking, and he sat up a little straighter, turning his head to look at the door. Jessica came through first, her cheeks tearstained, and she gave him a watery smile as Jack pushed past her and ran to his side, hugging him tightly. "Is Mom going to be all right?"

"I don't know, Jack, she's still in surgery."

"But what happened? Why was she stabbed? Who would want to hurt her?"

Jack's questions were naturally curious, especially given how Haley had died, but still, Aaron didn't have any suitable answers for him. He wanted to shield his son from the seedy aspects of the life he lived, and yet he knew that his son deserved answers. Taking a deep breath, he gestured for them to take seats, and Jack nodded before plopping down into the chair and staring at him. Jessica sat a little more gracefully, but she fixed a steely gaze on him. "You were supposed to protect her. I'm not going to lose another person close to me."

Alex coughed a little, and he wondered just how much she knew about his relationship with Erin. "He only stabbed her once before Derek took him down," he said before looking at Jack. "Erin was helping us to catch a very bad man, one who was killing her friends, and in the course of doing that, she ended up getting stabbed. There are always going to be people who want to hurt others out there, since we don't live in a perfect world."

"So she was being a hero."

A loving smile spread across his lips as he nodded. "Little man, you are so right about that!" Penelope exclaimed as she joined the rest of them, ruffling Jack's hair before leaning on Blake's chair. "Now, how are you liking having Erin living with you?"

"We're living with her, actually! It's nice, since her house is closer to Aunt Jessica's, so I get to spend more time with her when Dad's away on a case. Plus, Mom is a better cook than Dad, so I love having a new home. How much longer will she be in surgery?"

"I don't know, Jack. We got here at one, and you arrived at seven. When Erin was taken back into surgery, the doctor said it could take upwards of nine hours. But, they promised that they would come to us with news as soon as they have it."

Jack seemed to take this news in stride, nodding a little as he got up and walked over to the couches, sitting heavily before sliding down and curling up on it, his eyes closing. "He'll probably fall back asleep. He was sleeping on the way here."

Aaron nodded as he ran his hand through his hair, looking at Penelope. "Did the rest of the team…?"

"Jayje went home to her boys, since Will had to head in for his shift, and I know that Derek and Reid were going to help the police force collect evidence on the scene."

"And Dave?"

A soft blush stained her cheeks as she looked down at the tabletop. "He texted to tell me that he was heading home, since the case was over."

"Oh." He felt a flash of anger spring up in his chest at the thought of his best friend not even caring enough to come to hospital and see if Erin was going to be all right. Even though they had broken up, he knew that there still had to be some tender feelings there.

Just as Aaron was about to pull his cellphone out and call Dave when the surgeon from earlier came bustling in, a hopeful cast to his face. Aaron slowly stood, and listened to the others follow suit as he approached the surgeon. "We were able to repair everything that was injured by Erin's stab wound, and she came out of surgery well. While I can't say that everything will be an easy path, at least she's starting down the road to recovery on a good foot."

"That's wonderful," Alex breathed out, and Aaron nodded in agreement. "Can we see her?"

"I'm only allowing family in today, since Erin will need to recover her strength, but I will clear her for all visitors tomorrow. Now, if you'll follow me." Aaron nodded and jerked his head toward Jack. Jessica gave him a smile as she woke him up, and the trio followed after the doctor. From the corner of his eye, he watched Penelope and Alex leave together, talking happily as they exited down the hall, their arms linked.

Their good feelings were contagious, and he felt a buoyancy fill his heart that hadn't been there from the moment Erin had been stabbed. Reaching out, he took hold of Jack's hand as they continued down the hall until they had reached a private room. "Will this be her room tomorrow, as well?"

"Yes. We wanted her to have a room that was private, since this has already hit the news, and out of the way. Your partner is rather infamous."

"I know, bad people keep trying to hurt her," he said quietly as they turned down a hall and continued down the corridor. At some point, Jessica slid her hand into his free one, and they continued to follow until they had reached a very private room.

"All I ask is that you only spend an hour, at most, with her today. She needs to heal after her surgery, and while I know you don't mean her any harm, the best thing for her to do today is sleep and recover."

He nodded, knowing that the doctor was right. It had been the same when everyone else was recovering from their various battle wounds, and he steeled himself for the short time that they would be together that morning. "Thank you for everything," he said softly, and the doctor nodded before letting them inside the room.

Erin was stretched out on the thin hospital bed, numerous tubes and wires hooked up to her, and he felt his heart clench as he tightened his hold on Jessica's hand. "She's going to be okay," Jessica whispered as they approached the bed, and he nodded, sinking down onto edge of the bed and picking up her hand.

"Erin, we're here. We can only stay for a little while, since you need to rest and get better. Just know, I love you, and I might not be able to think of a life without you."

She groaned a little as she blinked open her eyes, giving him a tiny smile. "I love you, too, Aaron. And I knew that it would be you who saved me."

"It was a team effort, Erin. And I have good news. Alex wants to make amends now, too." A pleased mewl escaped her throat, and Aaron brought her hand up to his lips, kissing it softly before threading their fingers together as he drank in her face. "I just hate that it would take something like this to make her want to change her mind."

"At least she's willing to try now. That's more than I had hoped before this." She sighed again as she closed her eyes once more. "I'm so sorry, darling, but I am exhausted. Can I go to sleep?"

"Yes, darling, of course you can," he whispered as he listened to her breathing even out. Once she was fully under, he looked up at Jessica and gave her a sad look. "Do you two want to stay here with her for a little while longer?"

"Where are you going?"

"I have some personal business to take care of," he replied as he stood up and rested his hand on Jack's shoulder, squeezing slightly as continued to look at Erin.

"All right, just…be safe. I'm keeping Jack home from school today, and when you get there, we'll make food and talk a little more about what happened."

"All right," he replied absently, feeling conflicted about leaving Erin so quickly, when every fibre in his being was calling him to stay. Still, he knew that he had to settle this thing with Dave before things got out of control. He just didn't know what his best friend had been thinking.


	24. Chapter 24

The taxi pulled away from Rossi's home, and Aaron shook out his shoulders a bit to try and release some of the tension that was there. It failed to work, and he let out a deep breath as he walked up to the door and knocked on it forcefully. While waiting for his friend to answer, Aaron paced up and down the porch, trying to gather his thoughts into a coherent stream, so that he wouldn't just fly off the handle at him when the door opened.

After what seemed like hours, the front door opened, and Dave looked outside. "Are you the bearer of good news, then, Hotch?" he asked, a jovial smile on his lips. "Come in, come in! Reid and JJ got here just a little while ago, too."

"I thought that JJ was heading home to spend time with her children?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he approached the man and followed him inside.

"They were fine, Will took the day off work, after he saw us on the news."

"What? What does the media know?"

Dave chuckled as he shook his head. "You don't have anything to worry about, Hotch. Our illustrious section chief was not mentioned by name in any of the reports. After all, we wouldn't want the general public to know that someone so high up the command chain in the FBI is a common whore."

Those words caused him to see red, and his hand shot up quickly, making a tight fist that he only just checked in time not to deck his best friend in the jaw. "There is nothing common about Erin, and I think you know that. You just regret screwing around behind her back and causing her to move on from you."

"You almost sound like you're besotted with her, Aaron."

"There is nothing besotted about me. I've fallen in love with her, both of my eyes open. We know our mistakes and flaws, and we understand each other. Jack loves her. We're the family that you always wanted, but could never have."

He hadn't meant the words to sound so taunting, but from the way Dave's nostrils flared, the barbed words had struck their mark. "You have no idea what you're in bed with, Aaron. She will cut you off at the knees if she gets even the slightest idea in her pretty little head that you might betray her. She's too defensive by half, and you need to learn that before she breaks Jack's heart. Yours? Will heal, in time. That kid has seen too much heartache in his young life, and it could scar him permanently, to have her walk out now."

"She's not walking out of our lives, and I am not walking out of hers. Just answer me one little question. Why did you think that going home was a good idea?"

Dave's eyes flashed dangerously as he shook his head. "Where else would I go?"

Once more, Aaron had to control himself before he did something he regretted, and he drew in a deep breath through his nostrils as he fought to find some semblance of inner calm. "You could have stayed at the crime scene and helped Reid and Morgan collect evidence with the local police. That would have been a help to us. Or you could have come to the hospital with us, to make certain that your superior came through her surgery successfully. To make certain that the members of her team that consider her a friend were not overly devastated by her attack. Or there's this – you could have gone to the hospital to ensure that your best friend didn't lose another woman he loves dearly to another unsub!"

He hadn't realized that his voice had gotten so loud until he broke off suddenly to see JJ and Reid staring at them both in shock and horror. Shaking his head a little, Aaron moved away from Dave's side to run his hands through his hair and once again try and calm down. "Hotch, we couldn't help but overhear you. I take it Strauss made it out of surgery all right?"

JJ's soothing voice further helped to soothe his frazzled nerves, and he turned his head to look at her, giving her a small nod before looking at Dave once more. He was breathing heavily, his face a bright red, and Aaron was certain that his own face probably looked much the same. "Erin's surgery went very well, yes. She's unable to have visitors today, other than family, but her doctor told us that she'd be able to have more visitors, for longer, tomorrow."

"That's good to hear," Reid said, giving him a fleeting smile before stepping closer to JJ. "So, were you two planning on telling us about your relationship anytime soon?"

He should have known that these questions would come when their relationship became known to the general public, but still, he wasn't prepared with an answer for him. "I was following Erin's lead in this case, since we are in a sort of nebulous place at work. I know that the Director will probably have some words for us, and there might be a suspension for one or both of us, but I feel that we are both prepared for whatever punishment we are given."

Dave let out a soft, mocking, sound, and they all turned to look at him. "You're the golden boy, Hotch, your wife was murdered by an unsub, so that has given you carte blanche to basically do whatever you want. I doubt you'll face any sort of real repercussion."

Aaron shook his head a little. "I don't know what your problem with all this is, Dave, but you need to realise that I needed my best friend this morning, that while Blake and Garcia had each other to talk to and rely on, I had no one but my thoughts to keep me company."

A quick look of contrition swept across his face before Dave replaced it with a slight smirk. "You should have used that time to think about whether or not you wanted to continue on in a relationship that will bring you nothing but misery. I pity you, my friend, for not realizing who you were falling in love with before you were in too deep." Reaching out, Dave patted his arm lightly. "But don't worry, I'll be here to help you pick up the pieces when she inevitably breaks your heart."

Giving his friend a disgusted look, he shook off Dave's hand and met JJ's eye. "I couldn't help but notice your car in the drive. Would you mind running me back to the office so I can pick up our things? I need to make certain that Erin comes home to everything in place."

He noticed that her eyes darted between him and Rossi, and then she gave him a small nod. "Of course," she said softly, giving Reid a tense smile before following him from the house. "So, how serious are you about Strauss?"

"We're going to spend the rest of our lives together. We've decided that marriage might not be in the cards for us, but we're not going to need that to bind us together. I don't think that it gets any more serious than that." A small smile curved his lips upwards. "I didn't think that I would ever feel this way again about anyone. Haley told me that I needed to find love again in my life, I just never thought that it would be with Erin."

JJ sighed a little as she shook her head. "She's not the person she has to pretend to be at work, right?"

The question was very rhetorical, as if JJ had other, intimate, knowledge of Erin, and he nodded slowly as he looked at her, trying to figure out what she was driving at. From the closed off expression she wore, however, he knew that he wasn't getting any answers that day. "You hit the nail on the head, JJ. If you knew the woman I fell in love with properly, you'd know why it happened." JJ nodded and patted his arm softly before getting into her car, and he followed suit, ready to head home and prepare the house for Erin's recovery.


End file.
